Heart Health Month is here! Whether you’re concerned about your heart health, or thinking about your heart health is a new concept to you, we want to provide helpful tips to you along the way. Of course, during Heart Health Month, we want to help raise awareness for keeping an eye on your heart health, because it’s important to your well being in the long run.
As your trusted providers in everything insurance, we want to help our customers stay protected and worry free. Even though insurance is there for you when you need it, the goal is to stay healthy and safe, so that you won’t have to resort to using your insurance. With that in mind, we want to help our customers stay focused on being happy, healthy, and safe along the way. Today, we’re going to discuss Heart Health Month, signs of a healthy heart, and signs of a potentially unhealthy heart (and what you can do about it!).
Heart Health Month
For those who are not aware, heart disease is the leading killer of both men and women in America. Additionally, it is one of the most preventable causes of death. With both points considered, Heart Health Month is designed to raise awareness on healthier living. Our insurance agency is dedicated to helping spread this message, because we want our clients and customers to stay happy and healthy. Previously, we had pushed out a blog about heart healthy recipes for those interested in taking steps to healthier living.
Signs of a Healthy Heart
If you’ve already taken steps to a healthier lifestyle, there are some signs that will tell you if you’re on the right track. To ensure that your heart is healthy, you can look for these signs:
- Your resting heart rate is on target. A resting heart rate between 60 and 100 beats per minute is healthy in adults, or 40 to 60 beats per minute for athletes.
- Your blood pressure is on track. Your EKG gives good results. Next time you stop into your doctor’s office for a checkup, be sure to ask about an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG).
- You are active and your energy levels increase overall.
- Your cholesterol is where it needs to be.
- Your max heart right is high – especially for our fitness enthusiasts out there.
Signs of an Unhealthy Heart
Now, on the other hand, if you are concerned about your heart health, there are indicators that you can keep an eye out for as well to make sure things don’t get out of hand. Remember, we’d hate to see anything happen to our customers or clients, so if you think you are experiencing a true medical emergency, be sure to get help from emergency services. If you’re concerned about your heart health though, here are some signs to look out for:
- Your gums get swollen, bleed, or become sore. Dentists have told us that there is a connection between your gum health and your cardiovascular health.
- Snoring or sleep apnea – if you or your partner experience sleep apnea then your chance of experiencing a heart attack is triple the normal risk in the next five years. Sleep apnea can damage the right side of your heart because of the strain on your lungs trying to break through obstruction.
- Swollen feet or legs – if your shoes get tight by the end of the day, that means excess fluid is gathering in your legs or feet. This is called edema, which can mean your arteries that supply blood to your heart tissue are blocked.
- Coughing – if your coughing gets persistent, it could be a sign that there is fluid accumulating in your lungs. This is one of the symptoms of heart failure.
- Dizziness or fatigue – women don’t typically experience the same symptoms of an unhealthy heart as men. Women report having extreme fatigue prior to having a heart attack, while it’s not seen often in men. Although, dizziness or lightheadedness can mean that you have an abnormal heart rhythm, so you should report that to your doctor.
- Nausea and lack of appetite – during a heart attack, an individual can experience heavy nausea, or even throw up. If you have heart failure, it can seriously affect your appetite, so it’s important to pay attention to these symptoms.
- Weakness – usually a lack of strength happens a few days before a heart attack. If you feel unexplainably week, it’s important to let your doctor know.
Protect Yourself
If you experience any of the symptoms listed above, remember, it’s important to report these things to your doctor. Additionally, if you’re looking to make some healthy changes in your life to lead to a healthier heart this Heart Health Month, then here’s what you can do:
- Stay active – the more you exercise, the better of you’ll be. Even if you just start with simple walks, your taking steps to better yourself, literally.
- Kick out bad habits – smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol can increase risk of heart attack or heart failure.
- Manage your stress – stress can cause strain of your heart, which can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Remember, if you start exercising, you kill two birds with one stone; exercising releases positive endorphins into your bloodstream that can help with balancing out your stress levels.
- Maintain a healthy weight – eating heart healthy and exercising should help this directly. If you maintain a healthy wait, you’ll be at less risk of a heart attack.
- Manage high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels – both of these things can put you at risk of heart disease. If you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, be sure to ask your doctor about what steps you can take to fix these things.
While we encourage all of our customers and clients to lead a safe and healthy lifestyle, it’s still always important to get the coverage you need in case of an emergency. Remember, our professional insurance agents are here to help if you ever have questions about your insurance. If you want to ensure you are properly protected with your health insurance, give us a call today.
