By Dr. HoHai Van,
Contributing Writer
With heart disease being the leading cause of death in the United States, it’s important for you to be conscious of your heart health.
Older adults who are ages 65 and older are much more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke, with approximately 80% of heart disease deaths occurring in this age group, according to the American Heart Association. Obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol all contribute to the large amount of heart disease related deaths.
The good news is, it’s never too late, no matter how old you are, to make changes that could greatly improve your health. Creating a healthy diet and exercise routine that works within your capabilities can help you manage and prevent high blood pressure and high cholesterol — and potentially extend your golden years.
How to maintain a healthy diet
All of us are used to doing things the way we once did.
But while you may have once been able to eat very greasy foods with no repercussions – as we age, we need to look at ways to make small changes to help us stay healthy.
I wouldn’t expect anyone to make all these changes at once. But try to select one or two to start. Once you’ve mastered those, look for more ways you can improve your hearth health. But here are some changes you can try:
- Eat more fruits and vegetables: Changing the way you present your meal on your plate could help you get more fruits and vegetables into your diet. Diets rich in fruits and vegetables can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease. Try to have at least two servings of fruits and vegetables on your plate each meal to help you get the adequate vitamins and nutrients.
- Substitute refined grains for whole grains: You may have a routine where you walk to the local coffee shop each morning, but try to skip the pastry, or limit it to maybe one or two a month. One of the culprits for high blood pressure is refined grains, such as white bread and…
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