Educate Yourself on Better Heart Health

Whether young, midlife or elderly, countless Americans have to deal with heart issues during their lifetimes.

In some cases, the heart matters will be minor to mildly severe, thereby leaving the individuals with a good chance of recovering from what ails them, leading to a rather normal and productive life.

In some other instances, the heart issues will require major attention (medicines, surgery) in order to keep someone alive not only now, but for years to come.

Finally, there are those individuals who are not nearly as fortunate.

For them, just one heart issue can mean death.

With that in mind, what can the elderly do in order to lessen the chances of a heart attack or other related heart issues from becoming a killer?

Medically Trained Pros Can Save Lives

While there is no one size fits all means of preventing heart issues during one’s life, there are myriad of steps that can be taken to not only improve heart health, but also be in a position to render and receive assistance the moment a heart issue arises.

On the medical front, having professionals properly trained and ready to assist someone who is having heart issues is key.

In many cases, you are seeing more and more people receiving professional training in recognizing and helping those who have a heart attack or related problem.

Many individuals are turning to PALS classes in Mesa, AZ and other spots nationwide in order to be ready to go at a moment’s notice when someone is in heart trouble.

Such classes offer professionals the ability to be properly versed in ACLS online (certification or recertification), PALS online (certification or recertification) BLS online (certify or recertify) and CPR online. All the online courses allow individuals to earn their cards.

Having such training is critical when medical professionals are dealing with any heart issues (age doesn’t discriminate against heart problems), but especially true when working on the elderly.

Aging with Good Health in Mind

As people get older, their bodies change due to a variety of reasons and life choices, but the most obvious one is aging.

While many individuals will gracefully age and ultimately pass on due to natural causes, countless others will battle heart issues, especially in their senior years.

Among the ways to decrease the odds of falling victim to heart issues (including a fatal heart attack) in one’s years as a senior citizen, remember to focus in on:

• Diet – A diet void of fatty foods, heavy reliance on sugary drinks and alcohol, and steering clear of smoking (cigarettes, cigars, pipes etc.) will go a long way in increasing your odds of a relatively healthy and long life. It is not uncommon as senior citizens age to see them cut back on what they eat. As their appetites shrink with age, it is important that they get well-balanced meals, including many greens. If you are a senior, have loved ones who are seniors, or work with senior citizens on a regular basis (medical professionals, people employed in senior care facilities etc.), make sure to educate those individuals on the importance of healthy eating;
• Exercise – Just because one is getting up there in years does not mean they can’t do some form/s of exercise. While any exercise program should be carefully monitored by a family physician and/or fitness expert, seniors who are able to should be encouraged to participate in regular workouts. These can be as simple as going for a daily walk, swimming, lifting small weights to keep hand and eye coordination strong, and countless other activities. Such exercising is not only good for the heart, but also for the bones and mental awareness;
• Exertion – It is important that senior citizens avoid overdoing any form of exercise or even daily activities. Wintertime is a perfect example of just how deadly one wrong decision can be. If you own or rent a property where there are no on-site snow shoveling services available, don’t do it yourself. It is not all that difficult to find a local teen or hire someone to clear your walks in the wintertime. The same can be said for warmer weather months and dealing with excess grass or bushes to cut. Keep in mind that age catches up to everyone, so don’t try and be a hero by tackling shoveling a foot of snow.

When medical professionals are properly trained in better heart health and those in their elderly years educate themselves to maintain good heart health, it proves a win-win more times than not.