There are simple, easy ways to keep your heart healthy. Learn how to drop those daily habits that can affect your heart and your overall health. For more articles on heart health visit http://www.parrishmed.com/health-education/health-education-resources/heart-disease/default.aspx or to learn more about Cardiology services at Parrish Medical Center visit http://www.parrishmed.com/programs-services/parrish-medical-center/cardiovascular-programs/default.aspx.

1. Bad Habits Sabotage Your Heart Health
Learn what you can do to break them
The old saying "You are the sum total of all your experiences" also applies to your heart health.
All your habits—good and bad—affect your body's most important muscle. Are you guilty of
making the less-than-healthy choices listed here? We'll help you have a change of heart.
Staying Seated
Sitting all day at work, then sitting in front of the TV all evening. Many of us do it without
thinking about how unhealthy it is for our hearts.
"Studies have shown that people who sit for the
majority of the day have a shorter life span as well as
higher rates of heart disease," says Nieca Goldberg, MD,
a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association.
Change of heart: "Get up and walk around every 20
minutes, and try to make your everyday activities more
aerobic," Dr. Goldberg says. Besides designating time for
exercise, she walks to and from work and takes the
stairs instead of the elevator on her rounds.
Gorging on "Salads"
Choosing a salad over a burger may make you feel virtuous, but there's plenty of sin at the salad
bar, sister. Those egg, tuna and pasta "salads" are prepared with mayonnaise—and packed with
fat and calories.

2. Change of heart: "Go for undressed vegetables. You can recognize which ones are dressed in oil
by how shiny they are," Dr. Goldberg says. She also recommends grabbing a little dressing on the
side to use sparingly.
Avoiding the Scale
Stop me if you've heard this one before: You've gotten older and you're less active, but you
haven't changed your eating habits. And since your scale has betrayed you, you've stopped
stepping up for weigh-ins.
Change of heart: A weekly reality check with your scale is sensible. It's much easier to correct a 5-
pound weight gain than a 25-pound weight gain.
Smoking Like a Chimney
Besides increasing your risk for lung cancer, "smoking raises your risk for heart attack and
stroke, brings on menopause years earlier and causes wrinkles," Dr. Goldberg says.
Change of heart: Quitting is the obvious answer, but it's definitely not easy. When you're ready,
make a plan, seek support and learn to identify your triggers so you're prepared to handle them
when the urge to smoke strikes.
Ignoring Your Symptoms
When people are unsure whether they're having heart problems, these days they're more likely
to take an aspirin and search the Internet for what to do next.
Change of heart: Don't stop with a pill. If your symptoms are telling you to chew an aspirin, you
should simultaneously call 911. That might be the most important phone call of your life.