Each February the American Heart Association sponsors American Heart Month to help raise awareness about healthy heart habits. At Long Island Foot & Ankle Group, PC we believe in a total body approach to good health. Your feet help keep your heart in shape by allowing you to be active and exercise. A healthy heart means better circulation which can help patients avoid or lessen the threat of complications from diseases such as diabetes and certain forms of arthritis that can harm your feet.
You can start today to make healthy choices for your heart and they don’t have to be big and difficult. In fact, smaller changes are more likely to become lifelong habits. Here are a few to try:
1. Commit to move. Take a 10 minute walk every day. Pace while you talk on the phone. Make multiple trips up the stairs even if you can carry everything at once. Every step counts! Gradually increase your activity.
2. Drink fewer calories. Swapping water or seltzer for one soda or sugary coffee drink can cut over 100 calories a day from your diet. That can add up to over 10 pounds in a year! Reduce the number of alcoholic beverages you consume as well.
3. Do some dietary exploring. Try a fish instead of red meat dish. Add a handful of heart healthy nuts to your oatmeal. Replace salt with other herbs and seasonings.
4. Take a deep breath. Breathing deeply can help decrease stress and may help lower blood pressure. Visualize a place you love or all that you are thankful for and further increase the stress-busting benefits.
5. Get checked out. Have your blood pressure and cholesterol checked regularly. Don’t forget about podiatric checkups too. Your feet can often be an early warning system for diseases that affect your whole body. Make an appointment to see one of our foot and ankle surgeons, Dr. Russell Caprioli, Dr. Mary Ann Bilotti, Dr. John Haight and Dr. Marzana Mleczko by contacting our Lake Success or Valley Stream office today.