One day, Jeffrey from Indiana thought he was having a heart attack, so he pushed the button on his Ranger 4G medical alert. Jeffrey told us “the ambulance came seriously fast”, and he was taken to the hospital that was only 5 blocks away from his home.
It turns out he was not having another heart attack, just a reaction to a medication he had been prescribed. Jeffrey had gotten his Ranger 4G device in the first place because he has had 2 heart attacks in the last year, and wanted that extra protection in case he’s not able to reach his phone in time. He admits he had gotten lucky his first 2 heart attacks in that he was able to get help for himself, but he does not want his luck to run out.
We are glad you have peace of mind knowing you will be safe in an event of another heart attack, Jeffrey! Keep you and your heart safe.
-The BlueStar Team
Some heart health diet tips to keep in mind to keep your heart at its best:
An important part of keeping your heart healthy is to maintain a well-balanced diet. Some foods are better than others at keeping your heart health at its best. Eating healthy will help keep your weight in check as well. Being overweight puts a strain on the heart, so maintaining a healthy weight for your size is necessary to a happy healthy heart.
The American Heart Association has some suggestions on dietary changes that can be made to help your heart health:
Fresh fruit and vegetables are the way to go! You can’t go wrong with incorporating fruits and vegetables into your daily life for a number of health reasons. Your heart isn’t any different! The fresher the better, and the least amount of sauce, salt, or oil the better.
Eat more low-fat dairy. Dairy products can be a big source of Vitamin D, which is necessary for maintaining your heart health. But be careful- some dairy products can contain a lot of fat, which can be detrimental to your heart. Choose dairy with lower fat content to stay heart healthy.
Fill up on fiber. Fiber will keep you full as well as help lower your blood cholesterol levels. Fiber-rich foods to include more into your diet are fruits, vegetables, beans, whole-grain bread, and nuts.
Limit Sodium. Sodium raises blood pressure, which can put unnecessary strain on the heart. Cutting back on the amount of salt you put into your food will help keep that blood pressure low, which your heart will appreciate.
Water is your friend. Older adults have a higher risk of becoming dehydrated. Staying well hydrated will help keep your heart from working too hard.
Is that fatty meat worth it? Try to find the leanest meat you can, with the least amount of fats possible. However, fat should not be avoided altogether. Fatty fish can be good for heart health if eaten a couple times a week. Fish such as salmon or trout can help lower the risk of heart disease and increase the amount of omega-3s in the body, which you need more of as you age.
Ease into it. It is important to note that it is impractical to make all these changes all at once, so maybe just try a few of these tips that you think are doable and try to stick with those before incorporating other changes to improve your heart health.
The above suggestions are just general guidelines for what is generally good habits for the heart. Talk to your doctor to get personalized recommendations for what is best for you!
