Heart Health
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. The good news is that it is also one of the most preventable. By living a healthy lifestyle, you can help keep your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels normal and lower your risk for heart disease and heart attack.
Consider starting a challenge – 28 Days to a Healthier Heart!
Here are three tips you can get started on today!
- Choose healthy foods and drinks
- Plan for plenty of fruits and vegetables
- Try to eat less pre-packaged, processed foods
- Eat more foods that are naturally high in fiber
- Try to eat less foods that are high in saturated fat and trans fat
- Read food labels to help choose foods with lower salt (sodium) and sugar in your diet
- Choose to move more with regular physical activity
- Helps you maintain a healthy weight
- May help lower your blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar levels
- Try to quit tobacco use
- Smoking greatly increases your risk for heart disease. If you don’t smoke, don’t start.
- If you do smoke, quitting will lower your risk for heart disease. Your health care provider can suggest ways to help you quit.
- Your Commonwealth of Virginia Health Plans also offer tobacco cessation benefits:
- COVA Care and COVA HDHP – Anthem
- Wellbeing Coach to help with quitting tobacco
- Call 844-507-8472 to enroll
- COVA HealthAware – Aetna
- Log in to your member website at aetna.com and click “Stay Healthy”
- Or call at 1-866-533-1410 (TTY: 711)
HEART HEALTHY RESOURCE LINKS
National Institutes of Health (NIH) – Heart-Healthy Living: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/heart-healthy-living
CDC American Heart Month Resources: https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/american_heart_month_patients.htm
CDC Managing My Blood Pressure: https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/docs/Managing_My_Blood_Pressure.pdf
NIH – My Heart Health Tracker: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/resources/my-heart-health-tracker
The Heart Foundation – American Heart Month: https://theheartfoundation.org/heart-health-month/
American Heart Association: https://www.heart.org/en/around-the-aha/february-is-american-heart-month
CDC – Know Your Risk Factors: https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/risk_factors.htm
ADA Heart Healthy Cooking Tips: https://www.eatright.org/search-results?keyword=heart%20healthy
ADA Heart Healthy Tips: https://www.eatright.org/health/health-conditions/cardiovascular-health-heart-disease-hypertension/heart-healthy-cooking-tips
NIH – Your Healthiest Self – Wellness Toolkit: https://www.nih.gov/health-information/your-healthiest-self-wellness-toolkits