Heart-Healthy Resolutions

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Ahh, New Year’s Day.  A time to reflect on the year that just passed and prepare for the one to come.  It comes with a unique tradition, the New Year’s resolution.  Almost everyone makes one and almost everyone fails to keep it.  But, the idea of riding the motivation that comes from a new beginning is too inspirational to pass up for most.  Resolutions to end this year in better health than the last are among the most popular, so over the next few days we’ll focus on 5 heart-healthy resolutions that anyone could benefit from.

If you’ve ever been in my office for a physical, then you’ve undoubtedly heard me belabor the importance monitoring and controlling cardiovascular risk factors.  Heart disease and stroke are two of the top three causes of death in our country, and although some of the risk factors are beyond our control (male gender, African-American heritage, age, family history), these 5 things are definitely controllable.  And, if preventing early death and disability from a heart attack or stroke is not motivation enough to make it stick this year, I’m not sure what will.

1.  Quit smoking – Hopefully, you don’t smoke, but if you do, you have to quit.  There are endless reasons to quit:  Smoking is the #1 true cause of death in our country, we have more options available now than ever before to assist with quitting, the cost of cigarettes is going to continue to rise, the accessibilty to places that allow smoking is going to continue to fall and it’s the most common cause of erectile dysfunction.  If there’s not something in that list that motivates you to quit, then ask yourself “What would it take?”  Perhaps the death or illness of a loved one from smoking, the illness of a loved one due to your own smoking (such as asthma or ear infections in your kids), your own personal smoking-related illness or some other reason.  But, whatever you do, find the right reason, find the right way and quit.

Tune in tomorrow for Resolution #2. . .

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