Beyond the Scale: 5 Health Goals to Set in the New Year
Weight loss isn't the only way to measure wellness. Discover five actionable health goals to set this year, from sleep hygiene to preventive care, with the team at Walker Family Care.
7 Surprising Ways You Can Improve Your Heart Health
When people think about heart health, they often picture intense workouts or strict diets. Although exercise and a healthy diet do matter, some of the most powerful ways to protect your heart are simpler (and more surprising) than you might expect.
And since it’s American Heart Month, now is the perfect time to talk about them.
Read on as Dr. Rogers Walker and Shelley Gilbert, PA-C, share several ways you can improve your heart health and how seeking primary care at Walker Family Care in Little River, South Carolina, can help.
1. Walk more than you sit
Don’t have a gym membership? That’s OK; you don’t need one to support your heart. Regular walking improves your circulation, lowers blood pressure, and helps control cholesterol. Taking a few short walks throughout the day can add up.
Fun fact: Going for a 10-minute walk after eating can help lower your post-meal blood glucose levels, and keeping your blood sugar in check is just another way to protect your heart.
2. Don’t scroll all night long
If you stay up late watching TV or scrolling on your phone, you aren’t alone. However, if your late-night habits eat into your sleep time, it could affect your heart.
Poor sleep is linked to high blood pressure, weight gain, and heart disease.
Aim for seven to nine hours of quality sleep every night. If you need help building better habits, many smartphones offer sleep timers, bedtime reminders, and wind-down features to help you maintain a consistent routine.
3. Start a new hobby
Chronic stress can raise your heart rate and your blood pressure. Though there are many ways to manage stress, such as deep breathing, time management, or yoga, adding a calming, movement-based hobby can help, too.
Activities like walking, gardening, or tai chi have been shown to reduce stress and support healthy blood pressure.
4. Keep a refillable water bottle with you
Being dehydrated requires your heart to work harder to pump blood. The strain on your heart is even worse if you’re exercising while dehydrated.
The fix: Drink enough water to support healthy circulation and help regulate blood pressure, especially during hot weather or physical activity.
5. Reach your fiber goals each day
You don’t have to overhaul your entire diet. Adding more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats can support heart health.
Fiber, in particular, helps your heart by:
- Lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
- Improving blood sugar control
- Supporting healthy blood pressure
The problem? Most Americans don’t get enough of it. By adding more beans, fruits, and vegetables to your meals, you’ll have a much easier time reaching the recommended 30 grams of fiber per day.
6. Don’t ignore minor symptoms
Shortness of breath, chest discomfort, unusual fatigue, dizziness, or heart palpitations shouldn’t be brushed off. Getting an early assessment allows us to identify issues before they become serious.
7. Get regular checkups even when you feel fine
Many heart-related conditions develop quietly. In fact, hypertension is dubbed the silent killer.
Routine visits allow Dr. Walker the chance to monitor your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and other risk factors. The goal is always to prevent problems, but when prevention isn’t possible, catching issues early makes them much easier to treat and manage.
Bonus: stick with your treatment plan
It may sound simple, but this is one of the most effective ways to protect your heart and prevent complications. If you have an underlying condition that affects heart health (such as diabetes, high cholesterol, or sleep apnea), following your treatment plan matters.
That includes taking medications as prescribed and keeping up with recommended lifestyle changes.
Your heart deserves everyday care
Have questions about your heart health or concerning symptoms? Visit our team at Walker Family Care for preventive care and guidance you’ve come to trust.
You can also reach us at 843-280-8333.
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