Bucktail Medical Center Challenges you to treat your heart right!

We’ve crafted a Heart Health Challenge featuring easy and actionable steps to improve your heart health and reduce your risk of heart disease.

Step 1. Eat a Heart-Healthy Diet

• Action: Incorporate more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins into your diet. Reduce saturated and trans fats and lower sodium intake.
• Why It Helps: A balanced diet helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease.
• Get Started: Begin with small steps. Add a vegetable to your dinner, order a healthier option at restaurants, and add one fruit to your diet daily. Making small choices to improve your diet greatly impacts your overall health!

Step 2. Quit Smoking and Stay Away from Secondhand Smoke

• Action: Now is the time! Commit to quitting smoking. If you’re smoke free, stay away from secondhand smoke.
• Why It Helps: Quitting smoking reduces your risk of heart disease, lowers your blood pressure and heart rate, and improves overall heart function.
• Get Started: Quitting is hard, but help is available! Seek support from our healthcare professionals, join a program, or try nicotine replacement therapy. If you’re a nonsmoker, avoid secondhand smoke.

Step 3. Get Moving!

• Action: Increase your physical activity. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week.
• Why It Helps: Regular physical activity strengthens the heart, improves blood flow, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and helps control weight.
• Get Started: Start with a daily 10-minute walk, take the stairs instead of the elevator, or park farther away from work. Look for small ways to increase your daily activity and gradually increase the intensity and duration.

Step 4. De-Stress for Success!

• Action: Incorporate stress-reducing techniques into your daily routine.
• Why It Helps: Managing stress can lower blood pressure, reduce heart rate irregularities, and improve overall heart health.
• Get Started: Try meditation, deep breathing exercises, spending time outdoors, or yoga. Dedicating just 5-10 minutes daily to relaxation techniques can make a big difference.

Step 5. Schedule Your Heart Health Checkup

• Action: Make an appointment at our community clinic for your heart health checkup.
• Why It Helps: Regular checkups can detect early signs of heart disease, allowing for intervention and management. It’s a key part of your heart health maintenance.
• Get Started: Call us at (570) 923-1019, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., to schedule your heart health checkup.

Our Heart Health Challenge provides practical steps to improve your heart health. Small, consistent changes in your daily routine can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease.