Page 5 - February 27

M i n i s t ry O p p o r t u n i t i e s

WELLNESS MINISTRY MINUTE:

February is Heart Health

Month…Let's Go Red!

Today is GO RED Sunday!!!

Can Heart Disease be reversed? The simple answer is yes, to a certain extent, says Curtiss
Moore, MD, cardiologist. You can shrink that collection of plaque with a healthy diet and lifestyle
changes.

Diet and Exercise

While some risk factors, such as our genetics and age, are beyond our control, we can take
steps to protect ourselves from heart disease. Diet plays a big role.
The Mediterranean diet is rich in olive oil, fruits, nuts, and vegetables and low in processed
meats. Avoid food with too much sugar or trans fats, which raises “bad’’ cholesterol, or low
density lipoprotein (LDL). Bad cholesterol adds to plague deposits in your arteries.
High-density lipoprotein (HDL), on the other hand, is considered “good cholesterol “ because it
clears away LDL to be broken down in the liver. HDL helps shrink plague in the arteries and pre-
vent heart attacks, and you can raise HDL levels through exercise.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity
aerobic exercise each week, or 30 minutes a day, five times a week.

Manage Your Cholesterol

Keeping your cholesterol levels in check goes a long way toward preventing long-term damage.
Don’t underestimate the power of eating healthy, exercising regularly, and quitting smoking.
Try to decrease the amount of fat in your diet and find time to exercise.

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