Healthy Heart Habits For You

Keeping a healthy heart means more than seeing your doctor regularly. Healthy lifestyle choices can help keep your ticker thumping along longer. Taking some simple steps in your every-day life is the best way to improve your heart health.

Healthy Heart Tip #1: Eat Right

We all know that avoiding red meat and fatty fried foods are recommended for a healthy heart. Did you know that high levels of sugar can also affect heart health? A rule of thumb to keep in mind is the closer to the farm, the Heart Healthbetter. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, and healthy proteins like chicken, fish, and nuts are best choices. Red meats and other fatty and sugary foods should be consumed in moderation as well as high-starch foods like rice, potatoes and bread.

Healthy Heart Tip #2: Clear the Air

Smoking is a well-known cause of many health challenges. By quitting smoking, you not only do your heart a favor, you reduce your chances of contracting cancer by up to 90%. Since 85% of lung cancer cases can be traced back to smoking, dropping the tobacco habit can pay big benefits in the long run. Talk to your doctor about smoking cessation techniques and aids.

Healthy Heart Tip #3: Fitness

The old joke goes, I’m into fitness: fittin’ this whole pizza in my mouth. The downside of a lack of activity is an unhealthy heart. Regular aerobic activity not only provides an energy and mood boost, it’s also vital to keeping your heart strong. Regular exercise and aiming for a healthy weight can have big benefits when it comes to heart health.

A picture of Giovanni B. Ciuffo, MD wearing his Mercy One doctor attire.

About the Author

Giovanni B. Ciuffo, MD Director is an expert in Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery and Bloodless Heart Surgery is the outcome of his commitment to the development and improvement of both of these techniques. He runs a Cardiothoracic Surgery practice and manages Minimally Invasive and Bloodless Heart Surgery Program where he cares for patients from all over the country and locally. Click here to learn more about Dr. Ciuffo.

Board Certified:
American Board of Surgery
American Board of Thoracic Surgery