This article is part ofHealth Divide: Heart Disease Risk Factors, a destination in our Health Divide series.
Julie Bang / Verywell
Meet the ExpertGladys Velarde, MD, is a member of the American College of Cardiology Prevention, Disparities of Care Work Group and on the CardioSmart.org editorial board. Dr. Velarde’s clinical interests include heart disease in women and other populations, as well as preventive care.
Meet the Expert
Gladys Velarde, MD, is a member of the American College of Cardiology Prevention, Disparities of Care Work Group and on the CardioSmart.org editorial board. Dr. Velarde’s clinical interests include heart disease in women and other populations, as well as preventive care.
Verywell Health: What lifestyle actions should people take to improve their heart health?
When patients come to me for a preventive consultation, I ask them what they hope to get out of the visit. Sometimes they are very explicit and specific. For example, they may be concerned about theirblood pressureor theircholesterol.
But oftentimes, they have general concerns or fears. They say, “I’m worried about my heart health. I’m worried something may happen, and I might suffer aheart attackorstroke.” This is often because something happened to someone they know.
So, my first suggestion is tobe proactive.
When patients come to medical visits, they are being proactive, so I openly acknowledge and applaud their efforts. This lays a good foundation for partnering with the patient to improve their cardiovascular health.
Sometimes patients are not being proactive for specific reasons or because of certain circumstances, so we need to dig in a little to get that information. But in many cases, I tell them, “If you don’t care about your own health, no one else is going to.” You have to care. You have to know your own personal risk.
The second major lifestyle change people can make to improve their heart health iseating healthy.
I try to avoid the word “diet,” especially with certain populations, like the Latinx community, because in many communities, “diet” equates to “suffering.” It means restraining yourself from things you enjoy. So instead, I engage them in a conversation about eating healthy and considering what they put into their bodies.
I recommend:
It also helps to establish eating routines, so eating according to a meal schedule. If necessary, and not uncommonly, I refer them to a dietitian ornutritionist, who can go over this information in detail.
10 Foods That Are Good for Your Heart
Another lifestyle change isincorporating movementinto everyday life.
Again, I try to avoid the word “exercise” because exercising often sounds intimidating or can be perceived as too demanding or challenging. Particularly for the Latinx community, exercise can equate to struggling.
So instead, I recommend movement. I give patients tips on how to incorporate movement into regular daily activities. This can include things like:
In addition, for the Latinx community in particular, dancing is a major pastime. It is an excellent form of exercise, or purposeful movement, that fulfills not only the movement requirement but also brings joy.
For older patients who have a difficult time moving around or might be confined to their homes, I ask them to walk wall-to-wall a certain number of times per day or try to walk around the house as much as they’re able to and in short bursts.
These are some basic actions that people can more easily incorporate into their daily lives than intense aerobic exercise.
That said, there are specific exercise recommendations: 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise a week.This particularly applies to people who want to achieve a healthy weight. In those cases, people may need to exercise on the higher side, toward 300 minutes (five hours).
The Connection Between Heart Disease, Obesity, and Weight Loss
1 SourceVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Heart Association.American Heart Association recommendations for physical activity in adults and kids.
1 Source
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Heart Association.American Heart Association recommendations for physical activity in adults and kids.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Heart Association.American Heart Association recommendations for physical activity in adults and kids.
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