Make Heart Health Your New Year's Resolution

Becoming physically fit and losing weight are the most common New Year’s Resolutions. But, heart health should be at the top of the list, says a New York cardiologist.

“Of course I’m a little bit biased,” admits Evelina Grayver, MD, director of the coronary care unit at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. “But I’m biased because the annual increase of coronary artery disease and heart attacks continues to go up, especially for women.”

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, claiming more lives than all forms of cancer combined, according to the American Heart Association.

The AHA’s Go Red for Women campaign urges women to cut their risk of heart disease by following Life’s Simple 7 plan which includes: getting active; controlling cholesterol; eating better; managing blood pressure; losing weight; reducing blood sugar; and stop smoking.

“This is a lifelong process not something that’s going to happen in a day,” says Dr. Grayver. “Setting S.M.A.R.T. goals is key. “

The S.M.A.R.T. acronym stands for:

• Specific – What are you trying to accomplish?
• Measurable – How will you know you’ve accomplished your goal?
• Attainable – Your goal should be challenging but achievable.
• Reasonable – Is your goal and the timeframe for achieving it realistic?
• Timely – When do you want to achieve the goal by?

“The goals that many people make are so non-specific, such as ‘I want to be more physically fit.’ That’s good, but by how much?” explains Dr. Grayver. “What is your baseline and where do you want to go? Is it a matter of being able to do 10 pull ups by March? Setting those specific goals allows people to really progress appropriately.”

Using a fitness or nutrition app on your smart phone to log steps walked or food eaten can help keep you on track with meeting your goals, adds the cardiologist.

Dr. Grayver also recommends adding a new heart health goal each month, such as going to the gym three times a week in January, and increasing the amount of water you drink each day in February.

For people who have been sedentary or have other health challenges, she recommends a treadmill stress test to evaluate their heart’s response to exercise before starting a workout program.

“Knowing you’re fitness baseline gives you both physical and mental reassurance that you’re not going to hurt yourself in the process of starting an exercise regimen,” says Dr. Grayver.