You discovered at your annual checkup that your blood pressure is a bit higher than it should be, but your doctor said that it is not high enough to require medication. Instead, he wants you to make changes in your lifestyle. Healthy lifestyle changes can improve your chances of living a long life, even if you have a history of heart attacks in your family.
Step 1
Avoid tobacco. Both the Mayo Clinic and the American Heart Association (AHA) say that smoking or using other tobacco products is one of the greatest risk factors for developing heart disease. Tobacco and tobacco smoke is full of more than 4,000 chemicals, many of which can cause damage to the heart and blood vessels. These chemicals can lead to narrowed arteries and, eventually, a heart attack. If you quit smoking right now, you will experience immediate health improvements and, within a year, dramatically reduce your chances of having a heart attack.
Step 2
Get some exercise. Any type of physical activity--whether it's triathlon training or a few walks per day--decreases your chances of having heart health problems. Consider what physical activity you enjoy most and commit to doing it on a regular basis. According to the AHA, all healthy adults between ages 18 and 65 should get at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity five days per week. It mentions additional guidelines for those over age 65 and for middle-aged people with chronic functional conditions, such as arthritis.
Step 3
Eat heart-healthy foods. The AHA recommends eating a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods that are lower in calories; aim to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products and cut back on eating trans fats, such as those found in processed foods. Also eat less than 300 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol and consume less than 1,500mg sodium each day. Eating oily fish, such as salmon and trout, twice a week can also help reduce risk of dying from coronary artery disease, as they contain heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids that aren't naturally produced in the body.
Step 4
Get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked regularly. Since having high blood pressure and high cholesterol can cause a great deal of damage to the heart and blood vessels, you should get them checked regularly. They are "silent killers," because they typically do not come with any directly noticeable symptoms. The Mayo Clinic says that adults should get their blood pressure checked at least every two years and their cholesterol checked at least once every five years. It mentions that both may need to be checked more frequently if other risk factors for heart disease exist.
