03 Feb How to Live a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle
According to a 2022 report by the American Heart Association, someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds in the U.S. and the average age of an American’ s first heart attack is 64.7 years for men and 72.2 years for women.
While these statistics may sound discouraging, the good news is studies also show that most cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by addressing risk factors such as an unhealthy diet, a sedentary lifestyle, and lack of regular checkups. And sometimes the simplest way to flip the script on your habits is to embrace a community where the lifestyle naturally promotes heart-healthy living.
When you have convenient, enjoyable options for exercising, eating right, and seeing a trusted medical team regularly, there’s a much greater chance that the following three building blocks of a heart-healthy lifestyle will fall into place. At Park Springs, you’ll discover a wealth of opportunities to help you:
- Get moving
It’s a fact that regular exercise can help lower many heart disease risk factors such as “bad” (LDL cholesterol) levels, increase “good” (HDL cholesterol) levels, and manage high blood pressure. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ guidelines recommend that adults get at least: 2 1/2 to 5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week, or a little over an hour to 2 1/2 hours of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity a week, or a combination of both.
At Park Springs, this could be as simple as slipping through your private entrance to Stone Mountain Park’s two championship golf courses to walk a few rounds of golf or take a brisk walk around the lake a few times a week. Or you may choose to work out several times a week with a personal trainer in our state-of-the-art fitness center, take a weekly water aerobics or Zumba class, or go for the major calorie burn with a fun game of water volleyball. And perhaps the simplest way to get moving is to step right outside your door any time of day and onto one of the beautiful, safe walking paths that wind throughout our wooded 61-acre campus.
- Eat healthy
Research shows that heart-healthy eating is based on choosing certain foods such as fruits, leafy greens, vegetables, and lean proteins while limiting others, such as saturated fats and added sugars. Other good choices include whole grains such as plain oatmeal, brown rice, whole-grain bread, and fat-free / low-fat dairy.
At Park Springs, we are famous for our healthy, delicious dining options. Our knowledgeable chefs are trained in planning fresh, ever-changing menus that focus on a heart-healthy (and brain-healthy) Mediterranean-style approach. Chef Marcus explains, “In our kitchens, we only use the freshest ingredients. We serve Certified Angus Beef and Springer Mountain Farms chicken, and we also continually develop delicious new low-calorie, gluten-free or reduced sodium dishes. We take the dining experience at Park Springs to a whole new level.”
- See your doctor (regularly)
Two of the major risk factors for heart disease are high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol. If either of these numbers is high, it’s imperative to work closely with your doctor to get these numbers into a healthy range. If you have high blood pressure, you will likely need to be checked often.
At Park Springs, we make regular screenings and consultations with your doctor easy and convenient. Our onsite Wellness Clinic is staffed with three of the most highly-respected and specially-trained geriatricians in the Atlanta area and a nurse practitioner. So, you never have to leave the campus and fight traffic to make it to your appointment. And you can build real relationships with doctors who take the time to get to know you, listen to your concerns, and offer a holistic approach with your total wellness in mind.
To learn more tips on how to live a heart-healthy lifestyle, schedule your visit to Park Springs today.