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Tip the scales in your
heart ’s
favor
Ester See-Sebastian, MD
Family Medicine
PeaceHealth Medical Group–
Lakefront
1718 E Kessler Blvd.
Longview, WA
360-747-5800
Healthy
changes
Need a partner in health? Visit
www.peacehealth.org/rightcare.
Shop smart
for your heart—
and your waistline
Eating right is a big part of the
weight loss battle. It’s also a
wonderful way to help keep your
heart healthy.
But what foods should you
choose? Here are some ideas:
■ ■
Find fiber-rich foods.
Think
oatmeal and whole-grain cereals,
breads, and pasta. Whole
grains should be the label’s first
ingredient.
■ ■
Load up on fruits and
vegetables.
Look for a variety of
kinds and colors. Fresh is great,
but frozen and canned are fine
too
—
if they have no added salt
or sugar.
■ ■
Go for low-fat or fat-free
options in the dairy case.
Bypass
butter for margarine with 0 grams
of trans fat.
■ ■
Opt for lean protein.
That
includes salmon and other fish
with healthy fats. Buy enough
fish for at least two meals a
week. Choose skinless poultry—
especially white meat. If you eat
red meat, cuts marked
loin
or
round
are the leanest options.
And don’t forget about soy
products—they’re heart heroes
too.
TAKE A QU I CK LOOK
around you, and chances are
you’ll immediately see a huge health problem: About
70 percent of American adults are either overweight or
obese.
Those extra pounds can add up to big trouble. Too much
weight raises the risk for heart disease—the number one
killer in the U.S.
Heart disease includes conditions such as angina,
heart failure, heart attack, and abnormal heart rhythm.
Other weight-related problems—like high blood pressure,
unhealthy cholesterol levels, and high blood sugar—also
raise heart disease risk.
ASSESSING YOUR WEIGHT
To see if you weigh more than what’s healthy, check
your body mass index. It estimates body fat using your
height and weight. For an online calculator, go to
www.peacehealth.org/healthy-you.
Waist size is also important. The greater the girth, the
higher the risk of heart disease. To be healthy, a woman’s
waist measurement should be less than 35 inches. A man’s
should be under 40 inches.
A LIGHTER LIFESTYLE
Being overweight is dangerous, but shedding even a
few pounds can make a big difference, says Ester See-
Sebastian, MD. “By losing just 5 to 10 percent of your body
weight, you’ll begin to dramatically lower your risk of
heart disease,” she says.
To lose weight safely—and keep it off—you need the
right amount of wholesome food and plenty of physical
activity. For example:
■ ■
Gradually work up to at least 150 minutes of
moderate-intensity exercise each week.
That’s
about 30 minutes a day, five days a week, of brisk walking,
bike riding, or other activities you enjoy.
■ ■
Eat a variety of nutritious foods.
That includes
fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and
lean meats.
■ ■
Cut back.
Reduce your intake of food and drinks that
lead to weight gain, such as products with lots of sugar or
saturated fat.
■ ■
Watch the calories.
Cut 500 to 1,000 calories a day,
and you’ll likely lose a pound or two a week.
Work with your provider to create a weight loss plan
that’s best for you. Sticking with small, healthy changes
over the long term is likely to be more effective than trying
quick-fix workouts or crash diets.
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