Loving your heart: Change in diet, more exercise can keep the organ pumping

Hearts take center stage in February, and not just in the form of chocolate-filled boxes or lacy cards to loved ones. February is American Heart Month, drawing attention to that hard-working organ that we use so often in love and life but sometimes ignore when it comes to healthy practices.

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of men and women in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cardiovascular disease killed about 864,500 people in 2005.

"We all know that the first key is to build a strong heart," said Eileen Sievers, wellness nurse at Saint Francis Medical Center.

That means exercise, a healthier diet and managing your risk factors.

The No. 1 thing to do to reduce the risk of heart disease: Stop smoking, said Susan Lewis, nurse manager in the cardiac progressive care unit at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

Lewis also recommended adding five servings of fruits and vegetables to your diet.

"You can get almost fanatical on healthy stuff," she said, pointing out that just getting those five servings and staying away from fried foods will help.

"Anything fried is really not good for you," she said.

The Mayo Clinic lists blueberries and broccoli on its top 10 health foods list. And Lewis said the American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least twice a week.

"And that's not fried fish," she said. Opt for salmon or herring, she said, adding to be careful at restaurants. "The restaurants give you way too big of portions."

Both women said preparing food at home will give you the most control over what goes in your body, but they said it's not easy.

"I think there are a lot of societal obstacles," Sievers said. "We live in a fast-pace society."

But she said to try staying away from fast food and easy outs. Put down the junk food and get off the couch. The American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine recommend 30 minutes of exercise five times a week for adults 18 to 65.

Sievers said implementing these seemingly simple changes is hard because it requires a change in mindset.

"Many of the things that cause problems with our physical body systems are also things that are very pleasurable to us," Sievers said. "We're hedonistic."

Sievers runs health screenings for the public and reported that one in 10 people have an elevated blood glucose level and one in six has high cholesterol. She's also involved in Heart to Heart, a local organization devoted to raising awareness of heart disease in women.

"Previously we thought of it as a men's disease," she said. But of the 864,500 deaths in the U.S., women outnumber men by almost 45,000.

Heart to Heart will have the annual Heart to Heart luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 17 featuring speakers, door prizes and educational booths. For information on tickets, call 331-5327.

charris@ semissourian.com

388-3641