February 16, 2024

February is American Heart Month, and the Oswego County Health Department is taking the opportunity to provide residents with tips for maintaining a healthy heart and lifestyle.

“This annual recognition promotes understanding of cardiovascular health and best practices for maintaining heart health,” said Diane Oldenburg, Oswego County Public Health Associate Educator. “Even small changes can have a big impact on your heart health and overall well-being.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death for most Americans, and high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and smoking are common factors that worsen cardiovascular health.

“Adopting a healthier lifestyle can help prevent heart disease,” says Jennifer Purtell, chief public health nurse for Oswego County. “For example, incorporating 30 minutes of physical activity a day can improve blood circulation. Whether it’s walking the dog, going for a quick jog around the block, or gardening, get your body moving and your heart pumping. Please do other activities that will help.”

You can also improve your heart health by making the following changes to your diet.

• Eat more fruits and vegetables to reduce artificial sugars and get more fiber, potassium, vitamin D and other vitamins and minerals.
• To increase dietary fiber, replace refined grains like white bread, pasta, and rice with whole grains like wheat bread, brown rice, and oats.
• Include a variety of protein-rich foods, such as eggs, chicken, beans, nuts, and seeds.
• Limit your intake of red meat to avoid high levels of saturated fat, sodium, and preservatives.
• Consume healthy fats and oils like avocados, olives, nuts, and seeds to lower your cholesterol.

Diet and exercise aren’t the only ways to improve your heart health. Quitting smoking has a huge impact on your overall health, especially cardiovascular disease.

“Smoking is one of the important risk factors for heart disease,” Oldenburg says. “This includes smoking, e-cigarettes, and second-hand smoke.”

For more information about heart health or to request a free tobacco/vaping presentation, chronic disease self-management workshop, or diabetes self-management workshop, visit https://health.oswegocounty.com/ or call 315-349-3587.