In honor of American Heart Month, we bring you the facts and some crucial tips to help prevent heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. In the United States alone, someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds! Forty nine percent of Americans have at least one of the key risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol and smoking.

Implementing the following habits into your lifestyle is a great start!

1. Don’t sit for too long – get moving! Break up long periods of sitting, and stand or walk while doing things like talking on the phone.
2. SLEEP 7 to 8 hours a night. Not sleeping enough may put you at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease no matter your age or other health habits.
3. Cut down on SALT. To maintain healthy blood pressure, avoid using salt at the table and try adding less to your cooking.
4. Stay away from foods with TRANS FATS. Trans fat clogs your arteries. Read food labels carefully & look out for hydrogenated oils in the ingredients.
5. And remember to LAUGH OUT LOUD! Don’t just LOL in emails or Facebook posts. Laughing can lower stress hormones, decrease inflammation in your arteries, and raise your levels of “good cholesterol”.

Our Cardiac Recovery Program

Concord’s specialized cardiac program was designed to assist individuals recovering from a wide range of cardiac issues. Our all-encompassing care includes cardiac monitoring, CHF prevention, daily rehabilitation, and a dedicated focus on lifestyle modification, healthy diet and exercise.