Heart attacks alone claim the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans each year. This is separate from many other heart conditions, such as heart failure, uneven heart rate that is too slow or too fast (arrhythmia), and diseases that affect the heart’s valves. heart.

February is American Heart Month, so it’s the perfect time to talk about heart health and heart attack prevention and treatment. Heart disease is our nation’s leading cause of death, but there are things you can do to lower your chances of developing heart disease, even if you have risk factors such as a family history of heart disease.

Taking charge of your health is empowering. To take care of your heart health, you need to adopt or continue a healthy lifestyle. This includes moving your body every day. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that he exercise his heart for 30 minutes five times a week. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to incorporate it into your daily activities. This could mean walking the dog around the neighborhood (no skipping up the hill), doing yard work like raking or mowing, or even cleaning the house (with a little dance music to get the pace up). There’s no harm in applying it.) Even in the winter, think about all the fun you’ve forgotten about, like bowling, exercise classes, and an indoor pool.

Exercise can go a long way in combating unchecked stress, which is another cause of heart disease. In addition to lowering stress levels with physical activity, you can also get plenty of quality rest (keep your cell phone out of your bedroom, avoid drinking alcohol at night, and keep your bedroom temperature between 60 and 68 degrees). etc.). Every time). Taking time to enjoy a hike in the woods, having dinner with a friend, and practicing meditation are also important elements in your anti-stress toolbox.

What you eat is also important for your heart health. Sadly, the typical American diet is not heart-healthy. Rather than going through the drive-thru or opting for highly processed convenience foods, choose to cook at home and fill your plate with fruits, vegetables, low-fat proteins such as fish, beans, nuts, and seeds as main ingredients. Sho.

We know that drinking too much alcohol is bad for your heart, but so is any form of tobacco use. If you are concerned about your alcohol intake, talk to your doctor and if you want to quit, ask for a referral to a smoking cessation program.

The importance of communicating openly and honestly with your doctor about heart disease cannot be underestimated. These can help you “know your numbers,” or monitor your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol, which affect your risk of heart disease. If you are struggling with excess weight, we can also discuss effective weight loss methods.

Mission Hospital McDowell (MHM) is fortunate to have a new physician assistant, Lynn Shelton, on duty to see patients in the heart clinic. He has 22 years of experience caring for cardiac patients and comes to us this fall from Atrium Health’s Sanger Cardiovascular Institute and Charlotte’s Congestive Heart Failure/Transplant Clinic/Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic. Ta.

Our Asheville cardiologists are available to see MHM patients five days a week, Monday through Friday.

In addition to focusing on heart disease prevention, MHM also provides rehabilitation services for people who have experienced or are recovering from heart disease.

Cardiac rehabilitation is a great opportunity to learn more about heart disease prevention, enjoy a personalized rehabilitation experience that incorporates a personalized and medically supervised exercise plan, and meet others who have gone through similar experiences.

If you’re concerned about lowering your risk of heart disease, curing heart disease, or living with chronic heart disease, you’re not alone. MHM supports expert and compassionate health care providers who are available close to home and who consider it a privilege to care for you.