|
|
| |
Heart Failure |
|
|
|
Heart Failure Lifestyle Recommendations
|
|
 |
|
You can help control your heart failure by adopting healthy lifestyle habits. Here is a quick reference to help you make the necessary changes in your life. |
|
1. Schedule and keep regular appointments with your doctor
2. Limit salt in your diet
3. Lose weight if you are overweight
4. Eat a healthy balanced diet that is low in fat and rich in fiber
5. Try to be as active as possible
6. Have your blood pressure checked regularly
7. Do not smoke
8. Have your cholesterol levels checked
9. Have your blood sugar level checked
10. Do not use illegal drugs
11. Limit alcohol consumption
12. Rest freqently and get enough sleep
13. Manage stress in your life |
|
|
|
1. Schedule and keep regular appointments with your doctor. Your doctor is the one best able to help you deal with your situation. Other disease processes (co-morbidities) may play a role in your heart failure’s progression. It is important for you to tell your doctor if you are being seen by other physicians for other health reasons. |
|
Back to Top
|
|
2. Limit salt in your diet. Salt causes fluid to build up in your body. Limiting the salt that you eat can help reduce swelling and fluid buildup in your lungs. You will need to read the labels on processed foods. Many contain a lot of sodium, a component of salt. Do not add salt to your food. Salt substitutes may help add flavor if you like the taste of salt. Using other spices will also help. |
|
Back to Top
|
|
3. Lose weight if you are overweight. Losing weight helps you feel better and makes it easier to be more active. Losing weight may improve your blood cholesterol. High blood pressure levels may go down. High blood sugar levels may be better controlled if your weight is within the proper range for your height and bone structure. Don’t try fad diets. Eat smaller portions of low fat, low calorie foods and eat a balanced diet. Broiling or baking is preferable to frying your food. Eat less bread and desserts. Eat lean meat, fish and poultry without skin. Eat more fruits, whole grain, and vegetables. Limit alcohol and high-calorie beverages. Be as physically active as your health condition will allow. |
|
Back to Top
|
|
4. Eat a healthy balanced diet that is low in fat and rich in fiber. The American Heart Association recommends limiting total fat intake to less than 30% of your daily calories. Read the labels on food products and choose ones with low fat and cholesterol. Go easy on saturated fats. Fruits and vegetables, such as apples, broccoli, and carrots are good sources of fiber. Whole grain breads, cereals, and beans are especially good sources of fiber and are low in fat provided that fat is not added during preparation.
|
|
Back to Top
|
|
5. Try to be as active as possible, but stay within what your health condition allows. Talk to your doctor about the type of activities you can do. Many activities require little or no equipment. Brisk walking only requires a comfortable pair of walking shoes. Check your shopping malls, as many of them are open early and late for people who do not wish to walk alone, in the dark, or in bad weather.
|
|
Back to Top
|
|
6. Have your blood pressure checked regularly. Your health is your responsibility, so make sure you know your blood pressure and take measures to control your risk factors. Eat a diet low in salt and saturated fat, get 30 minutes of physical activity on most or all days of the week and limit your alcohol intake to not more than one drink per day for women and two per day for men. The American Heart Association recommends maintaining a blood pressure of 120/80 or less.120-139/80-89 is considered pre-hypertensive. Blood pressure of 140 or higher for systolic or 90 or higher for diastolic is considered high and should be evaluated by a physician immediately. If your blood pressure is 140/90 or higher, you are at risk for stroke, heart attack, and other complications of high blood pressure.
If you have been prescribed medication for your blood pressure, take it exactly as your doctor has prescribed. If you are experiencing difficulties such as unpleasant side effects, talk to your doctor about them immediately.
|
|
Back to Top
|
|
7. Do not smoke. Smoking is a risk factor for heart disease that you can control but kicking the habit can be tough. Don’t give up if you don’t succeed on the first try. Many people who have quit tried several times before they succeeded. If you smoke, pick a quit day now.
HMHS audio library Stop Smoking (# 1844).
|
|
Back to Top
|
|
8. Have your cholesterol levels checked. High blood cholesterol is one of the risk factors for heart disease that you can do something about. A total cholesterol level of under 200 mg/dl is desirable and usually puts you at a lower risk for heart disease. If your blood cholesterol level is high (240 or higher), your doctor will want to check your level of LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and HDL-cholesterol (good cholesterol). Eating less fat, especially saturated fat, can lower your blood cholesterol level. Read food labels. Look on the nutrition label for the amount of saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol. The highest percentage ingredient is listed first. Go easy on foods that list fats or oil as the first ingredient. Your doctor may prescribe medication to lower your cholesterol if diet and exercise are not effective. As with all medications, you should take the medication as your doctor has prescribed. |
|
Back to Top
|
|
9. Have your blood sugar level checked. Diabetes (high blood sugar levels) is another risk factor for heart disease that you can do something about. If you have diabetes, the foods you eat play an important role in your treatment plan. |
|
Back to Top
|
|
10. Do not use illegal drugs. |
|
Back to Top
|
|
11. Limit alcohol consumption to one drink per day or eliminate it altogether. One drink is defined as 1-1/2 fluid ounces of 80-proof spirits, 1 fluid ounce of 100-proof spirits, 4 fluid ounces of wine, or 12 fluid ounces of beer. Drinking too much alcohol raises blood pressure, can cause heart failure and can lead to stroke. It also adds calories, contributes to obesity, and makes it harder to lose weight. If you don’t drink, don’t start. If you do drink, talk to your doctor about drinking in moderation. |
|
Back to Top
|
|
12. Rest frequently and get enough sleep. If you have heart failure, you need to schedule time every day for rest and relaxation. Rest times are essential because they give the heart a chance to pump more easily. Try napping after lunch, putting your feet up for a few minutes every couple of hours, or sitting down while doing certain household tasks, such as preparing food or ironing. To improve nighttime sleep, use pillows to prop up your head, and avoid naps and big meals right before bedtime. Sometimes diuretics (water pills) can be timed so they’re less likely to cause you to urinate at night. This usually means taking them in the morning. Your doctor can give you more information about this. |
|
Back to Top
|
|
13. Manage stress in your life. There are two basic kinds of stress: sudden stress often is triggered by an unexpected event or discovery; progressive stress builds up over time and reflects our everyday problems, hassles, and nagging worries. Everyone deals with problems. But when too many unresolved problems or worries stack up, an unhealthy situation can develop. That’s why it’s important to identify all the sources of your stress and deal with them one by one.
HMHS audio library Stress Management (# 1846) and Relaxation Techniques (# 1847)
Source: American Heart Association
|
|
Sources: Mayo Clinic
Heart Failure Society of America
and National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute
|
|
Back to Top
|
