5 Strategies Keep Your Heart Healthy

Take steps to avoid heart disease —get regular exercise, eat healthy foods and do not smoke. Avoid heart problems in the future by adopting a healthy lifestyle today. Here are five heart disease prevention tips to get you started.

1. Don't smoke or use tobacco products
Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,800 chemicals. Many of these can damage your heart and blood vessels, making them more vulnerable to narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis can ultimately lead to a heart attack.
2. Get active
Regular physical activity helps prevent heart disease by increasing blood flow to your heart and strengthening your heart's contractions so that your heart pumps more blood with less effort. Physical activity also helps you control your weight and can reduce your chances of developing other conditions that may put a strain on your heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. It also reduces stress, which may be a factor in heart disease.
3. Eat a heart-healthy diet
Consistently eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products can help protect your heart. Legumes, low-fat sources of protein and certain types of fish also can reduce your risk of heart disease.
4. Maintain a healthy weight
The excess weight can lead to conditions that increase your chances of heart disease — high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
5. Get regular health screenings
High blood pressure and high cholesterol can damage your cardiovascular system, including your heart. But without testing for them, you probably won't know whether you have these conditions. Regular screening can tell you what your numbers are and whether you need to take action.

“Caring For Your Heart with Our Heart”
“Heart Center”, Bangkok Hospital Phuket, http://www.phukethospital.com/eng/center_heart.php
For additional information please contact info@PhuketHospital.com

Sexual activity in patients with heart disease.

Sexual activity is a matter of great concerns for cardiac patients. The fear that intercourse will increase the heart rate (the heart works harder) makes the patients lack confidence and depressed. In fact, sexual activity (with the same partner) will increase heart fitness. If patients can climb two flights of stairs briskly without getting chest pain or feeling breathless, it is probably safe to resume sexual activity. Therefore, there is nothing to worry about if the heart disease patients understand what they should and shouldn’t do and strictly follow the guidelines.

Recommendations for heart disease patients and post operative patients.
1. Openly discuss your concerns with your spouse or partner so that he/she understands them.
2. Have enough rest before having sex or choose a time when you are rested, relaxed and free from stress.
3. Make sure the setting is well ventilated and peaceful. It should not be too hot, humid or cold.
4. Should begin slowly, not rushed. Arousal should be done in order to decrease heart’s work.
5. Select the least stressful and most comfortable position. If the patients’ breathlessness is very limiting, you may need to depend on your partner taking a more active role.
6. Frequently changing partners will make the heart work harder.
7. Avoid sexual activity when you feel stressed.
8. Try not to have sex for at least 2-3 hours after having a full meal to allow time for digestion. This will ease stress on the heart.
9. Try not to have sex for three hours after consuming alcohol. Alcohol makes the blood vessels expand and the heart work harder.
10. Stop intercourse if breathlessness develops. Take medication and see the doctor.
11. Several kinds of heart disease medicine produce side effects affecting sexual activity.

Please consult a physician if you have any questions.

Warning signs and how to observe yourself:
If the following symptoms are experienced, it means your heart work harder.
- Chest pain during or after intercourse.
- Increase in respiration rate and pulse for 15 minutes after the intercourse.
- Sleeplessness
- Weak limbs within 24 hours after the sexual activity.

If any of such symptoms develop, see the doctor immediately.

http://www.phukethospital.com/eng/center_heart.php
eMail: info@PhuketHospital.com

Physical Fitness Rehabilitation after Acute Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack).

Acute Myocardial Infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, is a disease that occurs when the blood supply to a part of the heart is interrupted, causing death of heart tissue.

Rehabilitation after a heart attack is divided into two stages as follows:
1. Rehabilitation in hospital
2. Rehabilitation at home

Result of patient rehabilitation
1. Reduce the length in hospital.
2. Reduce the mental illness and anxiety.
3. Better quality of life for patients through improved heart and circulation efficiency

Rehabilitation in hospital
Organize the following activities for patients as soon as possible. Starting from little and increase the intensity by having the patient sit in the chair with high armrest and backrest. Leave the arms and legs down 1-2 hours each time, starting on the second or third day if there is no secondary attack or complication.

In ICU or CCU
Patients should exercise with low energy, for example having meals themselves, changing clothes, washing their faces, brushing teeth, defecation in a bedside commode, exercise limb muscles to keep them in good condition i.e. flexibility of joint and muscle tone.

Dangerous symptoms patients should recognize while exercising :
- Paleness and feeling dizzy
- Sweating and shivering.
- Feeling faint
- Chest pain
- Sudden illness or fever

If these symptoms are experienced, patients should consult an exercise expert.

After leaving the CCU to the general ward, patients should do more exercise by sitting longer, getting up from bed, going to bathroom, self-wash with close monitor, limbs and body exercise. Patients should exercise with increased distance and speed to avoid complication arising from spending too long in bed. Before going home, patients should practice walking down the steps one floor.

Any such exercise should be appropriate according to the age, physical and medical condition of the patients.

Rehabilitation at home
The first day after leaving hospital patients should exercise the same as the last day at hospital and gradually increase if possible.
The best length for exercise is 10 minutes, after that walk with medium speed until feeling a little exhausted. Patients should not stop walking suddenly but continue walking slowly for 5-10 minutes. If possible, take the pulse and check out if the heart beat rate can increase 20-25 beats faster than when you were at rest.

Do and Don’t
Do not force out or hold breath while exercising, avoid clenching the fist and horizontal exercise. After leaving hospital, patients should make an appointment to see their doctor regularly.

Further information about Bangkok Hospital Phuket's Heart Center, please visit www.PhuketHospital.comE-mail : info@phukethospital.com

Food for Heart Patient

Eat Heart-Healthy Food
Changing the way you eat can lower your cholesterol, blood pressure, and weight. Food does not have to be bland and boring to be healthy. Start by working some healthy changes into your present diet. Try some of the tips below. Also, ask your doctors for other tips. Better eating habits can help your whole body.

Less Fat
- Eat fewer fatty cuts of meat and more fish. Use less butter, margarine, and lard.
- Avoid foods containing palm and coconut oil or hydrogenated oils (check the label).
- Eat fewer high-fat dairy products like cheese, ice cream, and whole milk.- Get a heart-healthy cookbook and try some new, low-fat dishes.

Less Salt
- Salt increases your heart rate and the risk of health problems, including high blood pressure.
- Don't add salt to food when cooking, and keep the saltshaker off the table.
- Don't use sauces or cooking aids that are high in salt such as soy sauce, MSG baking soda, and baking powder.
- Instead of salt, season your food with herbs and flavorings such as lemon, garlic, or onion.

More Fiber
- A diet low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol that contains plenty of fruits and vegetables as well as whole-grain breads and cereals can reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.
- Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Add oats, whole-grain rice, and bran to your diet.
- Eat more beans and potatoes. They are great sources of fiber.

“Caring For Your Heart with Our Heart” “Heart Center”, Bangkok Hospital Phukethttp://www.phukethospital.com/eng/center_heart.php
eMail : info@PhuketHospital.com