February marks American Heart Month, focusing on heart health awareness and the prevention of heart disease. The heart plays a crucial role in overall well-being by circulating oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. Adopting a healthy diet, regular exercise, and positive lifestyle choices can enhance heart health.
Regular physical activity and a balanced diet are essential for maintaining a healthy heart and reducing cancer risk. The American Heart Association advises 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly or 30 minutes five days a week. Dr. Issa Pour-Ghaz, an interventional cardiologist at SIH Prairie Heart Institute, aims to meet this target and encourages others to do so as well.
“We’re all busy,” Dr. Pour-Ghaz says. “We have work to do, and by the time we get home, we’re tired. I try to achieve that goal and even if I can’t hit the 150 minutes, if I can get 100 minutes each week, I’m fine.”
Dr. Pour-Ghaz suggests making exercise enjoyable by incorporating activities like watching shows during workouts.
A nutritious diet is vital for optimal heart function. The American Heart Association recommends consuming diverse fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, legumes, nuts, and fish while limiting sugar intake from sodas and soft drinks. Dr. Pour-Ghaz advises moderation with meat consumption and suggests favoring white meat over red meat when possible.
Chest pain should not be ignored as it may indicate various conditions such as acid reflux or anxiety but could also signal more serious issues like a heart attack.
“When we look at chest pain in terms of the patient population or somebody who has chest pain, it’s very different in terms of risk factors that you have,” says Dr Pour-Ghaz. “If somebody in their 60s has diabetes and hypertension throughout their life, and developed kidney disease because of the diabetes, that’s different than someone in their 20s having chest pain.”
Heart-related chest pain typically lasts three to five minutes. Immediate medical attention is necessary if the pain is sudden or severe or radiates to other parts of the body accompanied by symptoms like shortness of breath or nausea.
Women may experience different symptoms during a heart attack such as extreme fatigue or back pain.
Calling 911 is crucial for individuals with personal or family histories of heart disease or related conditions instead of driving themselves to the emergency room.
Even without prior heart issues if experiencing atypical symptoms scheduling an appointment with a primary care physician is advised especially if chest pain worsens with movement occurs after eating or is stress-related but does not persist.
For further insights into maintaining a healthy heart listen to Dr. Pour-Ghaz’s full interview on WJPF radio.
