Each year in February, we highlight the importance of heart health — yet heart health is an all-the-time concern. Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death in Bristol County and across Massachusetts. In Fall River, heart disease contributes significantly to community health, which underscores the urgent need for both prevention and care close to home. As a nurse and hospital president, and as a cardiologist working in the cardiac catheterization lab, we see both sides of this story: the moments of crisis when a heart attack brings someone through our doors, and the everyday choices that can help prevent that crisis in the first place.
Improving heart health starts with the choices we make each day. Small, sustainable changes to one’s daily habits can have a long-lasting impact on heart health. We are calling on our community to take action with these simple steps.
Move every day
Physical activity is one of the most powerful tools we have to protect heart health. Yet we struggle with committing to regular exercise. It’s important to just start moving – it can be as simple as walking with a friend after dinner, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or parking farther away from a store entrance. All count as heart-healthy movement. Regular activity helps lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol, manage weight, reduce stress, and strengthen the heart muscle itself.
Choose healthy foods
Keeping a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats shouldn’t be thought of as trendy — these are protective foods. Swapping processed snacks and sugary drinks for whole foods can reduce risk factors for heart disease. It’s not about perfection or expensive organic produce. It’s about making small changes: adding a salad to your dinner plate, choosing water instead of soda, or trying a new heart-healthy recipe on the weekend. Every choice matters and every meal is a chance to build better health.
Don’t forget about sleep and stress
We all know life in our community can be busy, stressful, and demanding. Work, family, bills, and everything in between takes a toll. But stress — especially chronic stress — affects the heart just as much as diet and physical activity. Prioritizing sleep is not luxury, it’s necessity.
When you’re feeling stressed, talking to a trusted friend and knowing when to ask for support are important steps to keeping your heart healthy.
Partner with your provider
Talk to your primary care provider about your heart health. Be aware of your cholesterol levels, see your clinician for a blood pressure check, and have a candid conversation about your diet.
Every day is a new opportunity to make a small change to improve your cardiovascular health. Take an extra walk. Choose a vegetable you’ve never tried. Cut back on sugary drinks. Which one will you choose today?
At Saint Anne’s Hospital, we’re proud to provide high-quality cardiac care, including advanced diagnostics and life-saving interventions done quickly and close to home, as well as excellent emergency cardiac care. But the greatest success is what happens before you step foot through Saint Anne’s Hospital’s doors—when you choose to take care of your heart every day.
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