How to Prevent Angina
Don’t smoke., Be active., Reduce your alcohol consumption., Eat more fruits and vegetables., Reduce your fat intake., Avoid fatty meats., Reduce hypertension by eating low-sodium foods., Call an ambulance if you might be having a heart attack., Call...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Don’t smoke.
Smoking contributes to hardening your arteries.
This raises your risk for angina, hypertension, heart failure, and having a stroke.
Quitting will significantly improve your health.
If you need help quitting there are many resources for social support and getting medical assistance:
Get social support by seeing a counselor, joining a support group, or calling hotlines.
Get medical help by talking to your doctor, using nicotine replacement therapy, or trying medications. -
Step 2: Be active.
Consult your doctor before you start a new exercise regime.
For some people exercise can bring on an episode of angina.
This means that it is very important to check with your doctor before you start a new exercise program.If you think exercise might trigger angina for you, consult your doctor before starting any new exercise program.
There are several options the doctor might suggest.
The doctor might advise that you take medications before exercising to prevent angina.
Another option may be for you to start easy and then slowly increase the amount of exercise you do as you get in good enough shape to avoid an angina attack.
Talk to your doctor about what forms of exercise are compatible with your health condition.
The doctor may suggest that you start with activities that are less strenuous like walking, swimming, or biking.
It is important not to do too much too soon because angina is a sign that you may be prone to heart attacks. , Alcoholic drinks are high in calories.
Drinking a lot can make you prone to obesity and increase the strain on your heart.
If you do drink, stay within the recommended limits:
Women should consume one or less one servings per day.
Men should consume to two or less.
A drink is one beer, a glass of wine, or
1.5 ounces of liquor. , Fruits and vegetables are healthy for your heart because they are low in calories and fat, yet have the fiber and nutrients to satisfy your appetite.
Most people don’t eat nearly enough fruits and vegetables.
The recommended daily amount is two to three servings of each.
Eating many different fruits and vegetables will keep your meals interesting and give you the vitamins you need.Eat fruits for dessert.
A fruit salad with bananas, apples, grapes, and orange slices will satisfy any sweet tooth at the end of the meal.
Eat vegetables as snacks.
They are usually less juicy than fruits and easy to take with you to the office or to school.
Tuck a carrot or green pepper slices into your bag in the morning.
Scrutinize the canned items you purchase.
Fruits that are canned in sugary syrups will be higher in calories than fresh fruits.
Similarly, many vegetables are often canned in salt water.
Look for canned foods that don’t have sugar and salt added. , Ideally you should eat no more than about 3 tablespoons of fats, such as butter, per day.
Most people eat more fats than they need, so there are lots of ways to lower your fat consumption and make the fats you eat less harmful to you.When you do eat fats, it matters which ones you choose.
Avoid saturated fats, trans fats, and dietary cholesterol.
Saturated fats are usually solid at room temperature, like butter.
It’s a little more difficult to avoid trans fats, but you can check on the packaging of processed foods. “Partially hydrogenated” fats are usually trans fats.Opt for heart-healthy fats such as margarines designed to reduce your cholesterol like Benecol, Promise Activ, or Smart Balance.
When you cook, instead of using butter, try olive, canola, vegetable, or nut oils.
The following fat sources are generally less healthy for you:
Lard, cream sauces, bacon fat, butter, palm, cottonseed, and coconut oils, chocolate, cocoa butter, hydrogenated margarine, and nondairy creamers., Steaks are tasty, but they are generally higher in fat than poultry and fish.
Meat and fish are good sources of protein, but be careful not to overdo it.
Eat, at most, 6 ounces of meat per day.
Make your protein consumption as healthy as possible by:
Cutting off any fat you see around the edges Removing the skin —there is usually a layer of fat underneath Baking, roasting, or grilling instead of frying Substituting with plant-based sources of protein, such as beans or tofu , Hypertension is also called high blood pressure.
A high-sodium diet can make you prone to developing hypertension.
This increases the strain on your heart.
Try cutting down on sodium by:
Using less salt when you cook.
Instead of adding a large pinch of salt, just add a light sprinkle.
Checking the sodium content on pre-packaged or canned foods.
Many have salt added as flavoring.
Try replacing salty snacks with healthier alternatives like fruits or vegetables.
A green pepper or an orange is just as easy to pack into your bag as a bag of chips.
Eating out less.
Someone else preparing your food means you can't control the amount of salt added.
Restaurants may use more salt than you would at home. , Angina can be a heart attack symptom.
If you have an episode of angina and are unsure about whether you could be having a heart attack, it is better to be safe and call an ambulance.
People experiencing angina and heart attacks often report:
Chest pain Pressure or tightness in the chest Pain that may radiate to your back, shoulder, arms, and/or up to your neck and jaw Dizziness Nausea Sweating Difficulty breathing Exhaustion , Women do not always experience the classic symptoms that men do.
Women are less likely to experience chest pain, but they are still in need of immediate care.
Women may report:
Discomfort in the back, neck or jaw.
This may occur without chest pain.
Discomfort that feels like a sharp, stabbing pain rather than a feeling of pressure Feeling nauseous Abdominal pain Feeling like you can’t catch your breath Fatigue , Unstable anginas are frequently symptoms or precursors to heart attacks.
If you are having an unstable angina, it is vital that you call an ambulance and get medical care as soon as possible.
Indications that you are experiencing an unstable angina are:
New, worsening or persistent chest discomfort Discomfort that does not subside within five minutes of taking angina medication.
If the medication does not help within five minutes, call an ambulance. -
Step 3: Reduce your alcohol consumption.
-
Step 4: Eat more fruits and vegetables.
-
Step 5: Reduce your fat intake.
-
Step 6: Avoid fatty meats.
-
Step 7: Reduce hypertension by eating low-sodium foods.
-
Step 8: Call an ambulance if you might be having a heart attack.
-
Step 9: Call an ambulance if you are a woman with unusual symptoms.
-
Step 10: Identify an unstable angina.
Detailed Guide
Smoking contributes to hardening your arteries.
This raises your risk for angina, hypertension, heart failure, and having a stroke.
Quitting will significantly improve your health.
If you need help quitting there are many resources for social support and getting medical assistance:
Get social support by seeing a counselor, joining a support group, or calling hotlines.
Get medical help by talking to your doctor, using nicotine replacement therapy, or trying medications.
Consult your doctor before you start a new exercise regime.
For some people exercise can bring on an episode of angina.
This means that it is very important to check with your doctor before you start a new exercise program.If you think exercise might trigger angina for you, consult your doctor before starting any new exercise program.
There are several options the doctor might suggest.
The doctor might advise that you take medications before exercising to prevent angina.
Another option may be for you to start easy and then slowly increase the amount of exercise you do as you get in good enough shape to avoid an angina attack.
Talk to your doctor about what forms of exercise are compatible with your health condition.
The doctor may suggest that you start with activities that are less strenuous like walking, swimming, or biking.
It is important not to do too much too soon because angina is a sign that you may be prone to heart attacks. , Alcoholic drinks are high in calories.
Drinking a lot can make you prone to obesity and increase the strain on your heart.
If you do drink, stay within the recommended limits:
Women should consume one or less one servings per day.
Men should consume to two or less.
A drink is one beer, a glass of wine, or
1.5 ounces of liquor. , Fruits and vegetables are healthy for your heart because they are low in calories and fat, yet have the fiber and nutrients to satisfy your appetite.
Most people don’t eat nearly enough fruits and vegetables.
The recommended daily amount is two to three servings of each.
Eating many different fruits and vegetables will keep your meals interesting and give you the vitamins you need.Eat fruits for dessert.
A fruit salad with bananas, apples, grapes, and orange slices will satisfy any sweet tooth at the end of the meal.
Eat vegetables as snacks.
They are usually less juicy than fruits and easy to take with you to the office or to school.
Tuck a carrot or green pepper slices into your bag in the morning.
Scrutinize the canned items you purchase.
Fruits that are canned in sugary syrups will be higher in calories than fresh fruits.
Similarly, many vegetables are often canned in salt water.
Look for canned foods that don’t have sugar and salt added. , Ideally you should eat no more than about 3 tablespoons of fats, such as butter, per day.
Most people eat more fats than they need, so there are lots of ways to lower your fat consumption and make the fats you eat less harmful to you.When you do eat fats, it matters which ones you choose.
Avoid saturated fats, trans fats, and dietary cholesterol.
Saturated fats are usually solid at room temperature, like butter.
It’s a little more difficult to avoid trans fats, but you can check on the packaging of processed foods. “Partially hydrogenated” fats are usually trans fats.Opt for heart-healthy fats such as margarines designed to reduce your cholesterol like Benecol, Promise Activ, or Smart Balance.
When you cook, instead of using butter, try olive, canola, vegetable, or nut oils.
The following fat sources are generally less healthy for you:
Lard, cream sauces, bacon fat, butter, palm, cottonseed, and coconut oils, chocolate, cocoa butter, hydrogenated margarine, and nondairy creamers., Steaks are tasty, but they are generally higher in fat than poultry and fish.
Meat and fish are good sources of protein, but be careful not to overdo it.
Eat, at most, 6 ounces of meat per day.
Make your protein consumption as healthy as possible by:
Cutting off any fat you see around the edges Removing the skin —there is usually a layer of fat underneath Baking, roasting, or grilling instead of frying Substituting with plant-based sources of protein, such as beans or tofu , Hypertension is also called high blood pressure.
A high-sodium diet can make you prone to developing hypertension.
This increases the strain on your heart.
Try cutting down on sodium by:
Using less salt when you cook.
Instead of adding a large pinch of salt, just add a light sprinkle.
Checking the sodium content on pre-packaged or canned foods.
Many have salt added as flavoring.
Try replacing salty snacks with healthier alternatives like fruits or vegetables.
A green pepper or an orange is just as easy to pack into your bag as a bag of chips.
Eating out less.
Someone else preparing your food means you can't control the amount of salt added.
Restaurants may use more salt than you would at home. , Angina can be a heart attack symptom.
If you have an episode of angina and are unsure about whether you could be having a heart attack, it is better to be safe and call an ambulance.
People experiencing angina and heart attacks often report:
Chest pain Pressure or tightness in the chest Pain that may radiate to your back, shoulder, arms, and/or up to your neck and jaw Dizziness Nausea Sweating Difficulty breathing Exhaustion , Women do not always experience the classic symptoms that men do.
Women are less likely to experience chest pain, but they are still in need of immediate care.
Women may report:
Discomfort in the back, neck or jaw.
This may occur without chest pain.
Discomfort that feels like a sharp, stabbing pain rather than a feeling of pressure Feeling nauseous Abdominal pain Feeling like you can’t catch your breath Fatigue , Unstable anginas are frequently symptoms or precursors to heart attacks.
If you are having an unstable angina, it is vital that you call an ambulance and get medical care as soon as possible.
Indications that you are experiencing an unstable angina are:
New, worsening or persistent chest discomfort Discomfort that does not subside within five minutes of taking angina medication.
If the medication does not help within five minutes, call an ambulance.
About the Author
Jennifer Watson
Writer and educator with a focus on practical pet care knowledge.
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