Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease

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Heart disease is a general term to describe many things that can go wrong with your heart: a murmur, an irregular rhythm, and coronary artery disease, to name a few. Many types of heart disease can lead to a heart attack or a stroke, something that we’d very much like our patients at Affiliated Foot & Ankle Center to avoid. In recognition of American Heart Month, let’s talk about what you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease.   

  • Get moving. Regular exercise keeps the heart muscles strong. It also reduces the chance that your arteries will become clogged. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services offers these current recommendations for healthy adults: for substantial health benefits, get 2.5 - 5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise every week. If you add even more hours and lift weights twice per week, that’s even better. Older adults who can’t meet these standards should strive to be as active as possible.

  • Stop smoking. Tar, nicotine, and other chemicals in cigarettes cause plaque to build up in your arteries. Plaque buildup prevents good blood flow, making your heart pump harder than it should. As podiatrists, we’re concerned about improper blood flow to your feet due to a condition called peripheral arterial disease.

  • Drink in moderation. Drinking too much alcohol contributes to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. What’s too much? The CDC defines heavy drinking as eight or more drinks per week for women and 15 or more for men.

  • Eat well and maintain a healthy weight. A balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, fiber, lean meats, and whole grains goes a long way toward helping you fend off heart disease.

Regular exercise, quitting smoking, drinking in moderation, and eating a balanced diet puts less stress on your heart - and also on your feet. If you do have problems with your feet, visit board-certified podiatrists Dr. Samantha Boyd, Dr. Hal Ornstein, Dr. Dan Phan, and Dr. Joseph Saka in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Call our Howell or Jackson offices at (732) 905-1110 or make an appointment online.