Healthy Heart
Diseases of the heart and blood vessels are the number 1 cause of death in the United States. Having a healthy heart involves a variety of factors, including proper diet and nutrient intake, and proper exercise.
Diet
One of the most important ways to maintain a healthy heart is through diet. Try to pick foods that are low in calories and low in fats. Check out the Nutrition section for examples of health snacks and how to eat healthy. Another healthy heart helper is iron. Without enough iron, the blood does not carry as much oxygen as the cells need. The blood becomes "iron poor" and iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia may develop. Anemia makes you weak, tired, pale, irritable and short of breath. The average male, age 19 - 51+ years requires 10 mg of iron each day and the average female, age 19 - 50 years requires 18 mg of iron each day. Good sources of iron include: liver, kidneys, clams, oysters, cooked cereals, dry cereals, dried fruits and green vegetables.(1) Also, try to avoid sodium compounds, including salt, monosodium glutamate (MSG), baking soda and baking powder. The body only requires 0.2 grams of sodium each day (0.5 grams of salt), but the average American consumes 6-18 grams daily. By reducing sodium intake, you can reduce or avoid high blood pressure. This is important because people with high blood pressure are more likely to develop heart diseases and stroke.(2)
Visit the Health Center for these and other brochures.
Exercise
Regular exercise improves blood circulation, relieves stress and releases tension, promotes enthusiasm, increases energy, reduces the risk of a heart attack, tones muscles and can help control weight. Aerobic exercises that involve rhythmic, repetitive motions, such as jogging, bicycling, walking, hiking, swimming, roller-blading, jumping rope, or active sports, all promote cardiovascular fitness. Develop a program that will let you gradually work into your target fitness routine. Set a pace for yourself and don't push yourself too hard when you start. Always start a workout by warming up and finish by cooling down with stretching exercises and slow walking. During your workout, maintain at least 50% of your maximum heart rate for at least 30 - 60 minutes.(3)
Age (years) Target HR Zone 50-75% (beats per minute) Average Max. HR 100%
20 100-150 200
25 98-146 195
30 95-142 190
35 93-138 185
40 90-135 180
45 88-131 175
50 85-127 170
55 83-123 165
60 80-120 160
65 78-116 155
70 75-113 150
Visit the Health Center for these and other brochures.
Other Factors
Cholesterol:
Cholesterol is a type of fat found in certain foods, and it's also produced by your own liver. It's carried in your blood stream by two kinds of protein, low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or bad cholesterol) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or good cholesterol). The good cholesterol removes cholesterol from your blood, the bad cholesterol builds up those fatty tissues and plaque.
High Blood Pressure:
When your blood is under too much pressure as it pumps through the arteries, it puts a lot of stress on the artery walls. Over time, it wears them away, and cholesterol forms at the damages sites. As plaque builds up, the blood flow to the heart is reduced.
Smoking:
Half the deaths from heart disease are believed to be caused by smoking. When you smoke, carbon monoxide and other dangerous substances damage arterial walls; cholesterol is attracted to the damaged site, where it builds up plaque and retards the flow of blood; your blood vessels contract and restrict the flow of blood.(4)
Visit the American Heart Association Website for more information on healthy hearts.
(1) Taken from "Iron for Good Health and Vitality," The Pennsylvania Department of Health. 1991.
(2) Taken from "Shaking Your Salt Habit," The American Heart Association. 1999.
(3) Information taken from the American Heart Association brochures: "Walking for a Healthy Heart," "'E' is for Exercise," and "Running for a Healthy Heart."
(4) Taken from "If Hearts could Talk," a pamphlet available at the Health Center.
