Author: rob

There’s an easy way to improve your health starting today. Studies show that walking just 21 minutes daily can decrease your risk of heart disease by 30%. Walking is an exercise that you can do practically anywhere and requires no expensive equipment. It’s also more accessible to people of many levels of fitness. 

If you’re looking for a way to get fit for the summer, then walking is a great way to spend quality time with friends and help your heart in the process. Don’t forget to check with your physician to be sure it’s safe to hit the trail.

Ready to get walking? Keep reading for tips on walking your way to better health this May.

Why Walking is Worth It

Walking can improve your heart health by strengthening your heart, increasing blood circulation, and lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease. There are a lot of reasons to add walking to your daily routine. Here are a few to consider:

1. Simple Way to Strengthen Your Heart

Taking a walk around your neighborhood can provide you with more benefits than just fresh air. Walking can help lower your blood pressure and improve the health of your arteries. This means your heart won’t have to work as hard to pump your blood. 

2. Less Costs, More Benefits

Going to the gym can cost you expensive monthly bills that add up. Walking is a great alternative to lower your cholesterol and improve your blood sugar levels without added fees. 

3. Slim Down One Step at a Time

When you walk regularly, you burn calories and reduce your body fat and weight. This means less strain on your heart, joints, and other organs. It also reduces your risk of diabetes.

5. Live Longer and Healthier

Exercising can help improve your overall health, which means it can also lower your risk of premature death. You can not only live longer but also improve your overall quality of life.

6. Improve Your Mood

Walking not only helps your physical health but can also uplift your mood. Studies have shown that walking can be as effective as drugs at decreasing depression. In fact, researchers found that increasing your physical activity can decrease the risk of depression by 26%. 

7. Get Inspired

It’s also effective at increasing your creativity. Getting outside and walking has been shown to inspire new ideas when you’re in a mental rut or having difficulty problem-solving.

8. Help Your Neighbors 

When you’re taking a walk, you’re not just helping yourself, you’re improving your community. Social scientists have found that an increase in walking traffic causes a decrease in crime rates. It has also been shown to improve the local economy.

9. Connect with Others

Getting outdoors in your neighborhood allows you to connect with your community. It’s also a great way to spend quality time with your family, have conversations, and grow closer with those you love. Make a habit of taking a walk after dinner, and you’ll feel better before you know it.

Start Slow, Finish Strong

It’s never been a better time to start walking and improving your health. We’re excited that you’ve chosen to prioritize your health and help your heart. It’s important to speak with your physician before starting any new exercise. Once you receive the green light from you’re doctor, follow these tips to get started.

Let’s Go the Distance

It’s important to pace yourself when you’re starting out or if it’s been a while since your last walk. You don’t have to walk a lot to make a difference for your health. Start with a 5 to 10-minute walk. You can gradually increase the time and distance by 2 to 5 minutes a week.

If you find that the increased time is too much, you can decrease the time or alternate shorter distances every other day. Keep your walks interesting by trying different neighborhoods, local parks, or a shopping mall on rainy days. As you improve your stamina, choose walks that include more challenges, such as hills.

Break Up Your Walks 

Whether you’re walking for a long distance or only have time for a quick jaunt, any distance you can fit into your day can make a difference to your health. Aim for walking about 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. 

You can also try interval walking, which involves alternating between periods of walking at different speeds. This type of walking gets your heart rate up and is a great way to strengthen it. 

You can use a heart rate monitor and your phone to keep track of your progress. Use a maximum heart rate calculator to determine the right target heart rate for you, or talk to your doctor for professional advice.

Stay Motivated, Don’t Give Up

It’s important to keep up your hard work by setting reasonable goals and not pushing yourself. If you miss a day of walking, don’t be hard on yourself! Just get back out there as soon as you can. Remember, even a short walk helps your health. 

Consistency is Key

Schedule your walks in your calendar to hold yourself accountable. Walking with a friend, family member, or pet can help you stay motivated and safe. Don’t forget to wear comfortable shoes that provide adequate support. 

Step to Success

Now that you know all the ways walking can help you, we hope you’ll start stepping your way to better health. 

At HeartCare Associates of CT, our doctors and staff are dedicated to honoring the trust that you place in us. As a community based cardiology practice, we take great pride in providing you with the highest quality of care and service. 

To learn more about how we can help your heart, call HeartCare today for a free consultation.

As we welcome in the spring season, many of us aren’t thrilled about what it brings with it. If you struggle with seasonal allergies, you’re not alone! Over 100 million people in the U.S. have allergies and experience symptoms each year. Yet allergies can be more than a regular annoyance.

It may surprise you to learn that allergies can impact the health of your heart! Keep reading to learn more about how allergies affect your heart and how you can protect yourself from a potentially life-threatening condition.

Do Allergies Impact Your Heart Rate?

In the springtime, many people experience sinus issues due to seasonal allergies, which can sometimes negatively affect their heart rate. Allergic reactions, including hay fever, can cause increased heart rate and blood flow due to the body’s inflammatory response to allergens like pollen.

Research suggests that severe allergic reactions can cause a temporary increase in heart rate due to the body’s response to histamine release. For those already suffering from heart disease or high blood pressure, this effect could cause a heart attack or stroke.

Allergy Season Continues to Worsen

Spring is often considered allergy season, when blooming flowers and trees release pollen. This triggers allergic reactions in susceptible individuals. Global climate shifts have increased the concentration of air pollutants. This is due to increased temperatures and precipitation causing more ground-level ozone and particulate matter.

Allergy season is expected to last longer each year, leading to more pollen exposure. In addition, the longer wildfire seasons have contributed to more smoke inhalation, which can worsen asthma symptoms and other respiratory illnesses. 

These indoor and outdoor pollutants have been known to increase the risk of heart disease. However, more research is needed to fully understand the connection.  

If you suffer from painful varicose veins, you’re not alone! About 30% of the world’s population is affected by varicose veins. Luckily there are new and less invasive treatments for varicose veins that can improve your quality of life along with their appearance.

If you’re dealing with unsightly varicose veins or experiencing a heaviness in your legs, that prevents you from enjoying life, March is the perfect time to get your legs treated — just in time for the warmer months! Don’t hide your legs this summer, discover how you can treat your varicose veins today.

What Are Varicose Veins?

When it comes to varicose veins, it’s not just about how they look. It’s how they make you feel. Varicose veins can cause health issues that affect your everyday life. You don’t have to try and cope with them on your own. There are real solutions available to you.

Varicose veins are the result of a venous insufficiency problem. This is when your blood vessels aren’t functioning as efficiently as they should. When the valves in your veins aren’t working properly, blood can trickle backward in the wrong direction. This can cause blood to pool in your veins. This results in bulging or varicose veins. 

What is Vein Care?

Vein care can refer to a variety of therapies and interventions that are used to treat vein-related symptoms. Visible veins on your legs may not only be an aesthetic concern but can cause health-related problems such as blot clots, Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), and skin ulcers.

A DVT is when a blood clot forms in one of the deep veins in your body. This most often happens in the legs. If the blood clot breaks free it can travel to your lungs, block blood flow, and cause a pulmonary embolism. This is a life-threatening condition. 

Sitting for too long, smoking and certain medical conditions can increase your risk of DVT. Luckily there are advanced treatment methods that can diagnose and treat DVT. Schedule an appointment today for a complete analysis and advanced testing. 

Varicose veins can also be the source of symptoms such as pain, itching skin, leg heaviness, cramps, restless legs, swelling, aching, and much more. Reaching out to a specialist can help you treat the appearance of varicose veins and ensure your veins are in peak health.

With Thanksgiving at the heart of this month, we naturally focus on gathering with loved ones, sharing meals, and creating cherished memories. But beyond the food and festivities, November serves as a poignant reminder of something even more fundamental: our health.

This November, let’s embrace the spirit of gratitude for both our relationships and our well-being, giving thanks to the physicians, medical staff, and the technology, that help us live not just longer but better.

We’re here to help you have a heart-healthy Thanksgiving. Keep reading for tips to making this Thanksgiving your healthiest one yet.

Don’t Wait for the Big Meal

Although it can be tempting to skip breakfast so you have plenty of room for the main event, this can cause you to overeat. Instead of fasting and stuffing yourself later. Have a light breakfast when you wake up to avoid feeling starved.

When you’re not overly hungry, you can take your time and make smarter choices such as vegetables and lean proteins. You won’t feel the urge to pile your plate too high. Try drinking a tall glass of water about a half hour before eating, which both helps you stay hydrated and feel fuller.

Set Healthy Goals

You can set yourself up for success by planning what to eat ahead of time. You probably have a general idea of what dishes to expect at your family’s Thanksgiving meal. It helps to mentally prepare for what you’d like to put on your plate using visualization. This can make it easier to stick to healthier foods.

You can also avoid temptation by setting goals for what you’d like to skip or portion control. If you know you tend to overdo pumpkin pie, picture yourself only having one small slice. Often our eyes are bigger than our stomachs. Set yourself up for success by planning to take smaller amounts. You can always have seconds, but most likely you’ll be full faster than you expect.

De-stress Whenever Possible

Your heart is working hard to keep your body running in top shape. It works harder when you’re under a lot of stress. This can be difficult to avoid during the holidays but there are ways to de-stress if you make your well-being a priority. 

Take time to move your body and exercise. A brisk walk outside for 30 minutes or 10 minutes spread throughout the day can help lower your blood pressure and also maintain a healthy weight. It can also relieve anxiety symptoms.

Practice mindful deep breathing or pause for a quick meditation. Studies continue to show that meditative practices such as yoga improve stress-related conditions. 

Long periods of anxiety and stress cause cortisol levels to rise which can lead to increased risks of heart attacks and stroke. Set reasonable expectations for yourself and don’t overcommit. It’s okay to say “no” to avoid overextending yourself and to protect your overall well-being.

Minimize Alcohol Consumption

With the holiday season in full swing, it stands to reason that alcoholic beverages will be part of the festivities. Unfortunately, alcohol leads to many health problems, especially for our hearts. To avoid going overboard, try to alternate alcoholic drinks and dilute them when possible.

For example, take a break between alcoholic drinks with lemon water or flavored seltzer. Substitute cocktails with wine spritzers that have less alcohol. Mixed drinks can have a high sugar content, another reason not to have too many.

Binge drinking can cause irregular heartbeats even in people without prior conditions. The term “holiday heart syndrome” refers to the irregular heart rhythm that is often triggered during holiday drinking and can be very dangerous to your health.

In general, drinking alcohol is bad for your health. So if you can avoid it altogether, then your heart will thank you. Either way, drinking less alcohol can help improve your overall health.

Swap Out the Salt

Some of the tastiest dishes at Thanksgiving meals can be the least friendly to your heart health. Foods like gravy, mashed potatoes, and fried onions are high in sodium. You may not know exactly how much salt is in a dish if you didn’t make it yourself. 

Try to minimize salt which can cause high blood pressure and lead to more severe heart issues. It’s easy to ruin your healthy choices, such as white meat instead of dark, by covering it with salty gravy. Focus on filling up on healthier foods such as vegetables, whole grains, and protein.

Between the salty delights and alcoholic beverages, it’s important to drink plenty of water throughout the evening. Dehydration causes a strain on your heart and has also been linked to strokes.

Grateful for Health 

With the holiday season underway, Thanksgiving is a time to remind us of what we have and how much there is to be grateful for. We remember all the amazing ways that our heart serves us and the importance of keeping it healthy and strong.

Here at HeartCare Associates, we are grateful for all the ways that we can help you protect and maintain your heart health. So you can enjoy many more holidays to come with the people you love most. We hope these tips remind you to never take your health for granted.

Take the first step to another healthy year by scheduling an appointment here. HeartCare Associates is dedicated to caring about your heart and you!

To kick off September we celebrate National Labor Day, which honors America’s workers for their social and economic accomplishments. Their contributions to the country’s well-being remind us that we rely on each other to grow and succeed. Whether you’re employed or have a family to tend to, your health is important to those you love and want to be there for.

Don’t wait to start taking your health seriously! There’s no better time to start taking care of yourself for the longevity and quality of your life. We’ve put together some tips to help you take the first steps to a healthier heart and happier life—for you and your loved ones. 

Protect Your Heart from Stress

Studies show that one in six people with heart disease experience myocardial ischemia, a reduction in blood flow to the heart when they experience mental stress. This can cause an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. 

The link between the heart and mental stress is believed to be due to irregularities in heartbeats because of the stress’ effect on the brain’s communication with the heart. Researchers believe that mental stress causes a disharmony between your heart and brain, also known as autonomic dysregulation. For people with heart disease, this can have serious repercussions.

Stress can have negative effects even for those without pre-existing conditions. For example, one study showed that people with depression or anxiety are 35% more at risk of having a major cardiac event such as a heart attack or stroke. People who are more genetically prone to stress developed heart risk factors 1.5 years earlier than those who did not.

Tips to Reduce Stress 

It’s impossible to remove stressors entirely from daily life, but there are ways to take care of your mental health and protect your heart with these simple steps. The first and foremost being to consult with a professional to learn more about your heart’s current health.

Mental health is your emotional, social, and psychological well-being. It can determine how you cope with life’s stressors, how you relate to others, as well as decision-making skills. There are many ways that poor mental health can affect you, such as leading to high blood pressure, which can then result in life-threatening events such as a heart attack or stroke. 

Practice Mindfulness 

It’s important to prioritize stress-reducing activities such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, and mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of maintaining awareness of both your thoughts, feelings, and sensations in your body, along with external factors in your environment. 

The goal is to view them with an accepting perspective without judgment of whether they’re “right” or “wrong.” Many studies on mindfulness practices have shown that it positively affects our physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Including an improvement in relationships, memory, and focus.

Journal Your Thoughts & Emotions

Another method to de-stress from a difficult workday is to keep a journal to process your thoughts and emotions. Journaling about what is stressing you can help you release pent-up emotions you’re internalizing without fear of judgment from others. Simple prompts, such as writing about three things you’re wishing for, have been shown to reduce stress levels.

Putting your stressful thoughts down on paper can allow you to gain space from them. You’re able to express difficult emotions safely. Instead of having them bubble up to the surface when you least expect it. It can also help you plan the best course of action using something as simple as a pros and cons list.

Connect with Loved Ones

Set aside time to spend with family and friends. This can foster a support network and allow you to put things in perspective. Sometimes we can get so caught up in the daily grind of work and routine, that we forget what brings us joy. 

Social interactions can help improve your mood and reduce stress. Studies show that having good friends is linked to better overall health. Schedule meet-ups with the people you love whenever you can. Your heart will thank you!

Take Time for Hobbies You Enjoy

Another way to de-stress is by engaging in activities that you enjoy and help you relax. For example, reading, painting, gardening, or any other hobby that you find fun. Even a short walk in nature can boost your health both physically and mentally. 

Whether you’re in a rural setting or the middle of the city, find local parks or other green spaces to get away from the hustle and bustle. You can even bike or walk to the park to get some additional exercise. 

If you’re unsure where to start with your de-stressing routine, try new hobbies and activities to see what works best for you! 

World Heart Day on September 29th

In addition to Labor Day, this month we recognize the World Heart Federation’s “World Heart Day” on September 29th. It’s a day to recognize the importance of your heart health and a reminder to see a cardiologist for prevention. You’re never too young or too old, to begin taking care of your heart—it’s the most important gift you can give yourself. 

Don’t wait! Take your heart health seriously this September by scheduling your routine checkup with a specialist today. Whether you feel great or have concerns, the sooner you check, the more likely you’ll improve the quality and longevity of your heart health.

When your body is faced with extreme heat, it can put a strain on your vital organs. Although heat-related deaths are preventable, approximately 1,220 people die every year in the U.S. from severely high temperatures. That’s why it’s important to take the heat seriously by caring for your body and eating and drinking the right foods.

It’s not enough to stay near the A/C this summer. Your body’s internal temperate is mainly regulated by what you eat and drink. We’ve created this list of tips to help you stay healthy and safe during the dog days of summer. Keep reading to learn more.

What Qualifies as Extreme Heat?

The danger of extreme heat can vary depending on where you live. That’s because “extreme heat” is when temperatures and humidity are much higher than the average for that area. To find out about the risk in your area, you can enter your zip code into the CDC’s heat risk site.

Older adults, children, and individuals with certain illnesses are at a higher risk of being affected by the heat. During periods of extreme heat, you should go to community spaces with air conditioning. Fans may create airflow, but they give a false sense of comfort and won’t cool down your body temperature.

Even more important than external cooling solutions, are the internal ones. What you eat and drink can greatly determine your body’s health in high temperatures. 

Hydrating Foods

Eating the right foods while in a heatwave is vital to staying healthy and avoiding heat-related illnesses. Because the body sweats more to cool down in high temperatures, it also depletes your body’s electrolytes and hydration faster.

Eat water-rich foods such as cucumbers, watermelon, strawberries, and tomatoes to replenish your hydration. Cold soups and gazpacho are easy to make and are a refreshing way to prepare hydrating vegetables and fruits.

These will help your body to regulate its temperature and stay cooler. They could protect you from heat stroke, heart attack, and other life-threatening health problems that are related to heat.

Eating Light to Stay Cool

There are ways to stay cooler daily, as you’re out and about during extreme heat. Eating light during the hot days of August can help you stay cool and maintain your energy levels.

Have light meals such as salads with leafy greens, and colorful vegetables that are rich in vitamins and minerals. Use light dressings such as vinaigrettes or yogurt-based dressings.

Choose lean proteins like grilled chicken, tofu, or fish for a low-calorie option. You can grill them on the barbeque with fresh vegetables to add a smokey flavor without added calories.

Choose Refreshing Smoothies

Drinking refreshing smoothies during the summer is not only delicious, it’s also important to your health. Drinking smoothies is a great way to stay hydrated. They also contain important nutrients when made with fresh fruits and vegetables.

Another option is to blend fruits with yogurt or coconut water and turn them into frozen popsicles. They’re a great alternative to store-bought popsicles, which tend to have added sugar in them.

Consider including fresh mint in your next smoothie. Adding mint leaves to your daily consumption can further help your body stay cool. Mint is an herb that soothes digestion and naturally alleviates body heat. Consider adding it to salads, ice tea, or watermelon, or infuse it with your drinking water daily.

Avoid These Foods

There are some foods and drinks that can cause dehydration and overheating. For example, alcohol and caffeine cause your body to lose precious hydration which makes it harder for your body to cool down. This can increase your risk for heat stroke.

Limit your consumption of fried foods, burgers, and other heavy or greasy foods. These can weigh you down and make you tired. Avoid processed snacks such as cookies, chocolate, or salty chips that contain unhealthy fats, preservatives, and refined sugars. These lead to bloating and inflammation.

Lastly, eating spicy food is not recommended during hot days. Spicy food can actually cause you to sweat more, which leads to more hydration loss. Choosing healthier and more hydrating options will keep you feeling energized all summer long.

Stay Cool From the Inside Out

This August, be sure you take care of your health by taking precautions in extreme heat. It’s easy to forget the effects of heat when you’re having fun. Continuing to make healthy choices for your body, can ensure you stay well-hydrated and cool all summer long.

Ready to take action toward better health this summer for you and your family? Let us help you get there by scheduling an appointment here. Because at HeartCare Associates, we not only care about your heart – we care about you!