Cardiovascular Health Tips and Information
How You Can Prevent Heart Disease?
Heart Health
An important part of BAPTIST HEALTH Heart Center's mission is to prevent heart disease and promote cardiovascular health through programs in the
Health
Management Centers. Patients are encouraged to make lifestyle changes — including diet and exercise — that will reduce their risk factors for heart disease and improve their overall health. These programs are designed
to assist individuals in making lifestyle changes with cardiovascular health tips that will reduce
their risk factors for heart disease and improve their overall health.
The surgeries, procedures and
cardiac rehab programs that treat coronary artery disease can reduce your symptoms and potentially save your life, but they are not a true cure. You need to change any unhealthy habits (also called risk factors) that can create your heart problems in the first place. Some risk factors are smoking, eating too much fat and salt and not getting enough exercise. Making changes to reduce risk factors can help keep your heart condition from getting worse and may even improve the health of your heart and help prevent another surgery.
Below you’ll find cardiovascular health tips and information for improving overall heart health:
Lose Weight
Excess body fat places you at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease.
The excess weight also contributes to problems associated with cholesterol,
stress, blood pressure and blood sugar. Begin a low fat diet and
talk to your doctor about how to start a moderate exercise program.
BAPTIST HEALTH offers two weight management programs that incorporate
individualized eating plans with exercise and behavior modification.
- The Balancing Act at BAPTIST HEALTH Medical Center - North Little Rock
- BAPTIST HEALTH Weight Management Program at BAPTIST HEALTH Medical Center - Little Rock
Stop Smoking
Smoking increases your risk for heart disease and numerous types
of cancer. Smoking narrows the arteries of the heart and raises
your blood pressure. Participating in the Nicotine Dependence Program
at BAPTIST HEALTH Medical Center can help break the addiction to
nicotine.
Eat Right
Eating healthier can help reduce your blood pressure (hypertension)
and help get your blood sugar (diabetes) under control, two major
factors that contribute to coronary artery disease. Change the way
you cook and eat.
Also, slow down - don't eat on the run. Bake, broil, stew, grill
or microwave foods rather than fry. Steam vegetables or eat them
raw (broccoli, cauliflower and squash are great in a salad!). Season
foods with herbs like lemon, garlic, onion or ginger rather than
salt.
A well balanced diet is important to the healing process for patients
who have already had surgery or a cardiovascular procedure. It can
also help prevent you from having to undergo a procedure, if you
make lifestyle changes soon enough! The Cardiac Risk Intervention
Program at BAPTIST HEALTH Medical Center Little Rock is an intensive
cardiac rehabilitation program based on guidelines set up by Dr.
Dean Ornish. Participants make significant lifestyle changes in
diet, exercise, lipids and smoking cessation where appropriate.
Medications
Be sure to follow your doctor's recommendations on your medications.
The medications you are on for heart disease are very important
to controlling your heart disease and/or risk factors for heart
disease.
Heart Services
BAPTIST HEALTH is committed to health promotion through a variety of innovative and dynamic education programs. We want to teach patients valuable cardiovascular health tips and information, provide support groups for heart disease and assist participants in achieving realistic health-related goals to improve the quality of their lives.
Multiple Locations
Click on any of these links to learn more about Heart
Services at each hospital: