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Staying on a Heart-Healthy Path for Life

January 27, 2023 | Tips & Trends
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February is American Heart Month, a time to focus on being smart when it comes to your heart! In the United States, heart disease is a leading cause of death in men and women. According to the American Heart Association, these are some of the risk factors for heart disease:

  • Having high blood pressure
  • Having high blood cholesterol
  • Being overweight
  • Being a smoker
  • Having unhealthy eating behaviors
  • Not being active
  • Having Diabetes
  • Having a family history of heart disease
  • Being age 55 or older for women or 45 or older for men

 

Change your habits.

Each risk factor increases your chance of developing heart disease. The more you have, the higher your overall risk. Of course, some of these factors cannot be changed, like your age or family history. But the good news is, others are completely controllable! Quitting smoking and changing your eating habits are a great place to start. Why not include some of these heart-healthy foods on your next grocery list:

  • Veggies! Especially leafy greens, broccoli, and carrots
  • Fruits such as apples, bananas, oranges, and prunes
  • Whole grains like oatmeal or brown rice
  • Fat-free or low-fat dairy
  • Protein-rich foods such as fish, lean meats, and eggs

Try adding these power foods to your meals slowly and then increase the frequency. Eventually, buying and preparing them will become second nature. There are foods to limit, as well. Watch out for foods with added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium. Avoiding alcohol can also keep you on the road to a heart-healthy life. You may have heard the old saying, everything in moderation!

 

Exercise is good for the heart!

If you are not currently active, check with your physician about adding exercise to your daily routine. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends each week adults get at least:

  • 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) to 300 minutes (5 hours) a week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, or
  • 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) to 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or
  • A combination of both moderate-intensity and vigorous-intensity activity.

 

A Physical Therapist can get you moving and keep you moving to reach your heart-healthy goals.

What if pain, or mobility issues prevent you from participating in daily exercise? Do not worry, help is available! Did you know Physical Therapists are movement experts? They can design a personalized plan to improve your mobility, manage pain and chronic conditions, or help you recover from injury or disease. Your treatment program will include education about which physical activities are safe for you to do, along with therapeutic exercises to increase your aerobic endurance, muscle strength, stability, and range of motion. At the end of your in-clinic program, your Physical Therapist will set you up with the ability to continue your exercise plan on your own, leaving you with the tools to take control of your heart-healthy life.

Phoenix Physical Therapy has experts ready to help. To schedule an appointment with one of our Physical Therapists, click here to find a clinic location near you.

The entire Phoenix Physical Therapy Team is committed to providing our patients with quality physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy in a safe and healthy clinic environment. We continue to follow the guidance provided by the CDC, WHO and public health officials to update you as new information becomes available. Let’s work together to keep each other safe and healthy.

The safety of our patients, communities and team members remains our top priority. We know you have a choice in your care providers and appreciate your commitment to Phoenix and our qualified clinicians.

Here are the actions we have taken to keep our patients, communities and team healthy & safe:

  • Flexible scheduling allows for social distancing
  • Regular cleaning and sanitation of all clinic surfaces
  • Facemasks must be worn by all Phoenix staff and are recommended for all patients
  • Screening questionnaire and temperature checks prior to entering clinics
  • 6 feet of social distancing throughout the clinics

Keeping Our Clinics Safe

Here are some tips on how we can keep each other safe:

  • Handwashing is your best self-defense against the spread of germs. When soap and water are not available and hands are not visibly dirty, use at least a 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Please stay home if you are not feeling well, especially if you have a fever, are coughing or sneezing, or are experiencing shortness of breath. If a patient shows up with symptoms, the clinic team will work with them to reschedule.
  • Be vigilant. If you have traveled to any of the countries where there are outbreaks of the virus, please follow guidance from the CDC website and our Travel Guidelines.

Here are actions we are taking to keep our clinics clean and safe:

  • Equipment will be wiped down after EVERY use with antibacterial wipes/sprays
  • All surfaces that patients or staff may touch including door handles, countertops, seating, pens at sign-in, bathroom and all other common areas will be disinfected regularly
  • Treatment tables will be 6 feet apart
  • Team members will wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, particularly after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing their nose, coughing or sneezin
  • Clinics will have hand sanitizer available at the front desk and in the treatment areas
  • Any Phoenix team members who are ill will be asked to stay home
  • We will maintain social distancing between patients in the clinic
  • Caregivers that are bringing a patient to the clinic should wait in their car or come back when the appointment has ended unless necessary (i.e. minor requiring a guardian or for assistance needs)
  • When possible, we will treat patients in private rooms to increase social distancing
  • Any patients that have underlying health issues (i.e. diabetes, respiratory problems, etc.) will be given the option to be seen during special clinic hours or can opt to be treated in a private room away from other clinicians and patients
  • All patients should be self-screening before entering the clinic. Our PCCs will perform a secondary screening during the check-in process and before patients enter the clinic including a screening questionnaire and temperature check.
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