Health talk: Feb. 2


Q: I heard February is National Heart month. I want to keep my family heart healthy. What can we do with our diet to help?

A: Lots. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. It makes sense to follow a healthy diet, maintain a healthy weight and make healthy lifestyle choices to reduce the risk of heart disease. There are many great plans for heart health. All have core ideas in common:

-- Eat a diet rich in vegetables and fruits.

-- Choose whole grain, high fiber foods.

-- Limit saturated fats.

-- Minimize foods and beverages with added sugars.

-- Decrease added salt.

-- If you drink alcohol do so in moderation.

-- Control and reduce stress.

These ideas can be easily practiced with a few practical tips and guidelines:

-- Make half your daily intake vegetables. Use them as a side dish or chop them into sauces. Try a new recipe and make a goal to eat more than one color a day. Include fruit at every meal.

-- Choose whole grains whenever possible -- in bread, brown rice or oatmeal. Not sure about whole grain bread? Try one slice with the bread you use now for sandwiches.

-- Choose lean cuts of meat and remove visible fat or skin from meat or poultry before cooking. Use lower fat dairy products.

-- Limit foods and beverages high in sugar including regular sodas, fruit punches, sweetened tea, coffee drinks, jelly, cookies, cake and candy.

-- Limit processed meats like bacon, sausage, hotdogs and frozen and prepared dinners -- choose reduced salt versions. Rinse canned beans before cooking and limit the amount of salty condiments like ketchup and soy sauce.

-- Move more. Decrease time spent watching TV, sitting at a computer or video game. Incorporate movement into everyday activities by taking the stairs, parking away from the door and making multiple trips for groceries or laundry. Increase exercise gradually and build up to 30 minutes or more on most days of the week -- 60 minutes for children.

Heart healthy living is good for the entire family, all the time. We have one heart -- let's feed it right.

Bonnie Willis, manager,

Dietary and Nutrition Services

Wooster Community Hospital

Q: I often hear about people getting heart attacks when shoveling snow. What can I do to prevent this from happening?

A: There are several factors that can increase risk of heart attack while shoveling snow including a lack of physical activity. Less than 10 percent of the population gets the recommended 45-60 minutes of daily exercise. Snow shoveling is classified as moderate to hard activity and is potentially aerobic, meaning of cardiovascular (heart) benefit if performed properly.

In general, when a person begins an exercise program, the recommendation is to consult a doctor first, especially if there is high cardiovascular risk. Individuals in this category include males over age 45, females over 55, smokers, diabetics and people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, blood vessel disease or family history of heart attacks or strokes.

The risk of a heart attack is increased by sudden physical activity in sub-freezing temperatures, especially when straining to lift heavy, wet snow. This increases blood pressure, often well above 250, and constricts blood vessels. The effects of cold temperatures raising both heart rate and blood pressure, and narrowing blood vessels, increase the likelihood of rupturing a cholesterol plaque in a blood vessel in the heart, resulting in a potential heart attack. This can also induce a rapid heart rate disorder such as ventricular tachycardia, a potentially life-threatening electrical problem.

Prevention is key and involves understanding your cardiovascular risk factors and avoiding potentially dangerous activities. If you must shovel, push rather than lift the snow. Also, dress in layers to keep your core body temperature warm. Stay hydrated and be aware of the warning signs of a potential heart attack. This includes a heavy chest or arm discomfort that may be associated with nausea, excessive sweating and/or unusual shortness of breath. If you are experiencing these symptoms, stop and rest, go indoors and take one or two low-dose aspirin. If the discomfort does not stop in 10 to 15 minutes, call 911 or seek emergency medical help immediately.

Again, it's important to take precaution and prevent injury from happening in the first place. People with higher cardiovascular risk, like mentioned above, should consult with their physician first before beginning any type of vigorous physical activity like exercising or shoveling snow.

William Polinski, DO, cardiologist

Cleveland Clinic Wooster

Family Health and Surgery Center


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