Lifestyle Tips For Heart Attack Patients

When you ve just had a heart attack, the vast quantity of information available on your recovery can be extremely overwhelming. Should you exercise? Rest? Eat less fat? Less carbs? It may be complicated. Always check with your doctor for specific guidelines, but here are some basic lifestyle tips that will benefit heart attack patients as they embark on new lives. Quit Smoking Every heart attack patient knows that the most important lifestyle change to make is to quit smoking. Smoking can lead to a recurrence of heart attack, as well as any number of other health problems. Eat better It is not fun, but it is pretty commonly known that heart attack patients need to reduce their consumption of fat, sodium, and cholesterol. The Mayo Clinic diet, for example, suggests limiting fat content to 20-30% of total caloric intake. In order to accomplish this without feeling deprived, replace saturated fat laden animal foods with fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The fiber found in vegetables and whole grains can help reduce blood cholesterol, and many newer studies suggest that the antioxidants found in fresh fruits and vegetables can have healing effects for heart attack patients. Exercise Smartly Right after an attack or surgery, it is crucial that heart attack patients get, first and foremost a lot of rest. The heart is a muscle and if it has been damaged it needs time to recover. However, once the initial healing period is over, it can be very helpful to start instituting a plan of cardiovascular exercise. This exercise should start out easy, with 10 minutes of light walking, and slowly build as the heart grows stronger. A doctor should always approve and supervise any exercise program for a heart attack patient, and it may be a good idea to go to a cardiovascular rehabilitation program initially to develop an exercise plan under the supervision of professionals. Fight Depression Heart attack patients have a very high rate of depression, due to the pain they have experienced and due to the frustration at the changes in their lifestyle. They may also feel anxious because they are unsure of the course of their illness. Unfortunately, studies have shown that depression can actually have a negative effect on recovery for heart attack patients, so it is important that this be diagnosed and dealt with. Sometimes depression can be treated simply with increased support and community, but sometimes counseling and even medication can be necessary to deal with this very difficult problem.#/TITLE#Quit Smoking

Every heart attack patient knows that the most important lifestyle change to make is to quit smoking. Smoking can lead to a recurrence of heart attack, as well as any number of other health problems.

Eat better

It is not fun, but it is pretty commonly known that heart attack patients need to reduce their consumption of fat, sodium, and cholesterol. The Mayo Clinic diet, for example, suggests limiting fat content to 20-30% of total caloric intake. In order to accomplish this without feeling deprived, replace saturated fat laden animal foods with fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The fiber found in vegetables and whole grains can help reduce blood cholesterol, and many newer studies suggest that the antioxidants found in fresh fruits and vegetables can have healing effects for heart attack patients.

Exercise Smartly

Right after an attack or surgery, it is crucial that heart attack patients get, first and foremost a lot of rest. The heart is a muscle and if it has been damaged it needs time to recover. However, once the initial healing period is over, it can be very helpful to start instituting a plan of cardiovascular exercise. This exercise should start out easy, with 10 minutes of light walking, and slowly build as the heart grows stronger. A doctor should always approve and supervise any exercise program for a heart attack patient, and it may be a good idea to go to a cardiovascular rehabilitation program initially to develop an exercise plan under the supervision of professionals.

Fight Depression

Heart attack patients have a very high rate of depression, due to the pain they have experienced and due to the frustration at the changes in their lifestyle. They may also feel anxious because they are unsure of the course of their illness. Unfortunately, studies have shown that depression can actually have a negative effect on recovery for heart attack patients, so it is important that this be diagnosed and dealt with. Sometimes depression can be treated simply with increased support and community, but sometimes counseling and even medication can be necessary to deal with this very difficult problem.