Heart disease is a word used to describe many different conditions affecting the heart.
Coronary artery disease, the most common type of heart disease, results from a buildup of plaque on the inside of the arteries, which reduces blood flow to the heart and increases the risk of a heart attack and other heart complications.
Seek medical attention if you have any signs of heart problem. It’s important to diagnose and treat heart disease early. If left untreated, heart disease can cause a variety of complications, such as a heart attack, heart failure, stroke, aneurysm, and even death. Talk to your doctor if you think you have any symptoms of heart disease. Other forms of heart disease include: • irregular heartbeat (arrhythmias) • congenital heart defects • weak heart muscles (cardiomyopathy) • heart valve problems • heart infections • peripheral vascular disease • stroke In women heart disease is often called a “silent killer” because in 90 percent of deaths, women had at least one preventable untreated risk factor.
HOW TO CHANGE YOUR HABITS It’s that time of year again when many decide to make a change–maybe for you it’s to lose weight, exercise more, or quit smoking. Unfortunately, more than fifty percent of the time resolutions fail, and most people make the same resolutions year after year. Despite their best intentions they are not successful. Why? Some common reasons for failure are the resolution is based on what someone else wants, the resolution is vague, or they do not make a practical plan to achieve their goal. However, there is a way to keep those resolutions and develop lasting habits. Be SMART this year. SMART is an acronym coined in the journal Management Review in 1981 it stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound. SPECIFIC. It is important to have a clear goal. The more defined your goal is the more attainable it will be. For example, instead of I want to exercise more try I want to walk five days a week for 30 minutes. This may seem like a big goal especially if you are not walking at all now. Break this larger goal into small steps. Start with walking 5 minutes a day and once you have established the habit increase it to in small increments until you reach the 30-minute goal. Your habit will be sustainable. MEASURABLE. Keeping track of your progress is one sure way to stay on track with your goal. It helps with accountability and is encouraging as you move closer to success. Try making a change calendar. Write down your goal and then write in small steps you can take toward meeting that goal. When you accomplish a step toward your goal check it off with a flourish. Once a week look at your calendar and review ways to make your plan more successful. Evaluate your progress. If you are falling short of your goals, brainstorm ways to change. ACHIEVABLE. You should make resolutions that you can keep. This does not mean dream small but rather start small and grow from there. For example, if you want to lose weight but you currently eat dessert after every meal maybe an achievable goal is one dessert per day until you can do without. RELEVANT. When choosing a resolution pick something YOU want. It is not enough that someone else wants it for you. You must want the change yourself. You need to reflect on what’s important to you and be intentional in setting goals for yourself. Ask – Is this a goal that really matters to me, and am I making it for the right reasons? If you want to reduce your risk of heart disease then you must watch your diet and exercise. Everyone knows this but until you actually want to control your risk factors then you will not take the steps to achieve this goal. TIME-BOUND. Give yourself a timeline for achieving your goal. You should have enough time to achieve your goal realistically. If you want to lose 30 pounds do not give yourself 1 month. That is not enough time to lose that amount of weight. Give yourself lots of small goals along the way so you can celebrate your progress.