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5
STEPS
TO
SAFEGUARD
YOUR
HEART
T
aking care of your heart
is a matter of choices.
By making good
choices — such as
eating nutritious foods and
getting regular exercise —
you can reduce your
risk for heart disease.
But by making poor
choices — such as
smoking and not seeing
your doctor — you put
yourself at greater risk for this
leading killer of American men and
women.
The following lifestyle changes
are fairly small ones to make. But
they can have a big impact on your
heart.
1
Make a yearly date with
your doctor.
Take time
out from your birthday
celebration to make an
appointment with your doctor.
Schedule a checkup to have
your blood pressure measured.
Ask your doctor if you need
cholesterol and blood
sugar tests. Don’t
have a primary care
physician? Kadlec
can help. Call
(509) 942-DOCS
(
3627
), and
we can help
set up an
appointment
for you with one
of our primary
care physicians.
2
Pass on the salt.
Consuming
too much salt can increase
your blood
pressure, which puts
you at greater risk
for heart disease.
Check out package
labels to see how
much sodium each
food contains.
3
Go heavy on the fruits and
vegetables.
Vegetables and
fruits are high in vitamins,
minerals and fiber and are
low in calories. Eating
a variety of fruits and
vegetables can help
you control your
weight and blood
pressure.
4
Watch your
waistline.
Being
overweight increases
your risk for heart disease. But
even a modest weight loss — 5 to
10 percent of your body
weight — can lower
your risk. If
you need
to lose
weight, cut
back on your
daily calories
and set up a
regular exercise routine.
5
Get physical.
As little
as 30 minutes a day
of moderate physical
activity can help your heart
health. Walking, riding a bike,
swimming or even doing
housework can help you get
in better shape.
And remember, if you
have a bad day and make
some poor choices, don’t
give up. There’s always
tomorrow to get back on track.
Sources: American Heart Association; National Heart, Lung,
and Blood Institute
Stay here for
your heart care
Kadlec Regional Medical Center’s
specialists are equipped to meet
many of the cardiac needs in
our region. They have the
years of experience, number
of procedures performed and
the resumes to rival top surgeons
in the country.
Working together
Our interdisciplinary team of
specialists is here for you from
diagnosis through comprehensive
treatment and rehabilitation. This
approach creates an important
continuum of care for our patients.
“I want a second
opinion...”
We absolutely respect your
need to thoroughly investigate the
best treatment for your unique
need. However, do not hesitate
to talk to us about this. We have
a very thorough network of
specialists throughout the country
who can be consulted based
on our referral. If there is ever a
procedure we cannot perform, we
will make sure you are referred to
one of our respected partners.
“I think I should
just go to Seattle
or Spokane...”
You have every right to
choose the doctor and facility
you feel most comfortable with.
Studies show that receiving
medical treatment close to home
promotes faster healing, less
stress, less risk of infection, lower
cost and a more coordinated
treatment plan with your care
providers.
Ask your doctor for a
referral close to home. Stay
here for your heart care.
For more information, visit
www.kadlec.org/stayhere
.
www.kadlec.org • 3