In the face of those grim facts, the AHA designates each February as American Heart Month. Through outreach programs, the AHA makes every effort to increase awareness of the need for healthy heart practices.
“It’s actually pretty simple,” said Dr. Don Ferrari, D.O., F.A.C.C., a cardiologist at Brandywine Valley Cardiovascular Services which helps staff Brandywine Hospital’s Heart Center. “Don’t smoke. Normalize your body weight. Exercise modestly, not excessively.”
“Exercise works muscles,” he added, “and it improves the lining of the arteries.”
“The older we are, the greater the risk for heart disease,” he continued. “Kids are not at risk for heart attack.”
However, he pointed out that as kids tend to become more obese, they begin to show signs of arterial blockage in their teen years.
While he advised that healthy heart habits should really begin with kids, especially at a young age when they are more than susceptible to the “can-of-soda-a-day” syndrome and the phenomenon of the “giant size,” he said it’s not too late for teens and people in their twenties to practice downsized portion control and to stop the sweets.
He emphasized the need for people of all ages to change some of their habits. “Everyone thinks you have to be perfect,” he said. “Small changes have significant impact. Go from large fires to small fries, or walk for 20 minutes, three times a week.”
“Smoking, diabetes and high cholesterol are all risk factors,” he pointed out. “Smoking damages artery walls, diabetes accelerates blockage, and high cholesterol accumulates as fatty blockage.”
He encourages people to take weight management seriously. “Being overweight can lead to diabetes and both can trash arteries,” he warned. Ferrari hastened to add that “diabetes can cause blindness, kidney problems, and leg amputations due to a lack of blood flow.”
For cholesterol problems, he advised adjusting one’s diet and, if you are on medication for cholesterol, “Don’t be afraid, take the medicine. It’s safer than having a heart attack.”
Ferrari said that there is a high genetic component in heart disease. “Be more aware of your family’s history,” he advised. Nevertheless, he commented that as a person heads into his or her thirties, checks on cholesterol levels and changes in diet should become part of a healthy heart plan, and more attention should be paid to weight levels and smoking habits.
Last – but not least – Ferrari advised that people should have regular blood pressure checks and better learn to control stress.
