Healthy Heart Tips

The economic news is enough to weaken anyone's heart, and it sometimes does with people feeling stressed, eating poorly and cutting out workouts while trying to make ends meet. Here are some basic healthy heart tips:

Eat better; exercise more. Eat a healthy diet, including five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. By cooking simple fresh foods at home, rather than indulging in restaurant fare or fast foods, you can save money and your health.

Don't skimp on health care. Putting off doctor visits, especially when you have symptoms, hurts your health more in the long run, as does skipping medications or splitting pills to cut costs.

Reduce stress. Find a positive outlet -- such as exercise, meditation or the company of others -- to ease stress and improve your health.

Maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Get your levels checked and talk to your physician about the best plan of action to keep your LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels low and your HDL ("good") cholesterol levels high.

Check your blood pressure. Several effective treatments are available for high blood pressure. If your blood pressure is normal, maintain it with a healthy lifestyle.

Exercise Tips for Seniors to Start a Healthy 2009

If you're an older adult, the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) has some tips for seniors to get started exercising and keep them at the top of their game:

Get a checkup. Talk with your doctor about getting clearance to begin a fitness program and making any modifications to suit your situation.

Know your options. Before starting, pick a program you'll enjoy, so you'll do it regularly. Some people, for example, like to go to a gym for structured workouts, while others might prefer a more informal neighborhood walking club.

Determine your participation style. Choose what's best for you -- a class or going solo? Morning or night hours? Indoor or outside exercise?

Start slowly. Most people are overeager and sometimes overdo it. Record a baseline of your regular activities and determine a reasonable schedule.

Make a date. Find a buddy to exercise with you and keep you motivated.

Set specific short- and long-term goals. Plan for activity in your day and make it a priority.

Make a list. Try to make the benefits about things you can control, rather than an outcome (such as weight). Looking to decrease stress and depression, build stronger bones or greater strength, get better sleep? Remind yourself what your goals are.

If it hurts, don't do it. Learn to work around pain, not through it. And once you've reached your goal, treat yourself for the good job you've done, so it will encourage you to continue.

Information provided by: MedicineNet.com