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People with serious heart conditions – such as coronary artery disease, congenital heart disease, high blood pressure or a history of heart failure – are at high risk of serious consequences if they get sick with COVID-19.
That's why it's more important than ever for people with cardiac challenges to protect their hearts, and it's also important for people without heart issues to take steps to stay heart healthy during this pandemic.
Protect Your Heart
Your heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood throughout your body. It works hard and needs your help in ensuring that it can do its job easily and well.
Eat well. Many of us are spending more time at home than before the pandemic, in close proximity to the kitchen. It's easy to wander to the pantry for a snack or scoop out ice cream from the freezer. Eliminate snack attacks by creating a routine that sets aside time for meals and snacks – and stick to that routine. Assign times to eat – and times to step away from food.
When you do snack, avoid foods that are high in sugar and fat. Buy vegetables and cut them the day you purchase them. Stick them in the fridge for an easy-to-grab snack. Dip in hummus for a protein boost. Buy hand-held fruits, such as apples, bananas and grapes. Eat yogurt, topped with a little granola, honey or fruit for a high protein, satiating snack. For meals, consider lean meats, salmon and brown rice bowls.
The goal is a heart healthy diet low in fat and cholesterol.
Cheat days are okay too. If you know you're going to cheat on Fridays, pick a reward that will motivate you to stick to a healthy diet the rest of the week.
Exercise. No gym? No problem! Be more deliberate about being active, and aim to exercise about 30 minutes a day to stay heart healthy. Blocking out the time in your calendar may make you more likely to get up and go. Throughout the day, be sure to stand and stretch. Set an alarm if you need to remind yourself to move.
Look for high-intensity exercise apps; some effective cardiovascular workouts are as short as seven minutes and don't require any special equipment. You can also bike, walk, hike or use the stairs in your house.
Exercise reduces your stress, lowers your blood pressure and strengthens your heart muscle.
Manage stress and stay connected socially. A high stress level over long periods of time is not heart healthy. Explore stress relief techniques that work for you: guided apps, meditation, relaxing music, reading, etc. Staying connected socially is also vital to your heart and mental health.
Sleep. Aim for 6-8 hours a night. Insufficient sleep tricks your body into thinking you need to hang on to more fat. Adequate sleep keeps your metabolism balanced.
Also, avoid smoking and don't drink alcohol in excess. Keep up your dental hygiene by regularly brushing and flossing; people with poor dental hygiene are at increased risk for heart disease.
If you are taking heart medications, continue doing so unless advised otherwise by your physician. You can also consider performing home blood pressure checks; call your physician if your numbers are too high or low.
Know Heart Attack Signs – And Get Help if Needed
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, cardiologists have noticed a decline in the number of people presenting with heart attacks at hospitals. We fear patients may be too scared of contracting COVID-19 to get the cardiac help they need. While the risk of dying from COVID-19 is real, the risk of dying from an untreated, major heart attack is quite significant.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. The signs of a heart attack are:
Hospitals have thorough testing, isolation and cleaning protocols. They are safer than many people may think – and not getting help when experiencing a heart attack is riskier than many people think.
If you have heart attack symptoms, call your physician or 911. The sooner you are treated, the better the outcomes. Cardiologists can administer clot-busting medications or insert a stent to restore blood flow through the arteries.
