Struggling with COPD?
Pulmonary rehab can be a
breath of fresh air.
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Incorporate these
7 habits for a
healthy heart.
As we near
the two-year
anniversary of
the pandemic,
our lives have
changed
immensely. For
some, these
changes affected
their health –
especially their
heart health.
“Did you know that 77% of Americans
are more likely to sit throughout the
day now than before the pandemic?
That’s not good for your heart,”
says Melina Aguinaga-Meza, MD, a
cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic South
Pointe Hospital.
Dr. Aguinaga-Meza recommends
incorporating these habits for a
healthy heart:
1. Get enough exercise.
Exercise can lower blood pressure and
heart rate – meaning less stress on the
heart.
2. Eat a heart-healthy diet.
Incorporate foods that are low in
fat, salt and calories. Include fresh
vegetables and fruits, whole grains,
lean proteins and nuts.
3. Lower your blood pressure.
Chronically high blood pressure is
directly linked to cardiovascular
disease. Weight loss, exercise and
prescription medications can help
lower your blood pressure.
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4. Reach a healthy weight.
Diet modification and exercise with
associated weight loss can lead to a
healthier heart.
5. Focus on your mental health.
There is a strong connection between
our mind and our heart. Heart issues
can exacerbate or worsen mental
health problems, and vice versa.
Reach out to your physician if you
unexpectedly start to experience
sadness, tiredness, fatigue, or loss of
interest or pleasure in activities.
6. Manage your stress.
Stress can cause arteries to constrict,
starving the heart of nourishing blood
and triggering chest pain or a heart
attack. Relaxation practices, such as
mindfulness, yoga, meditation and tai chi,
are beneficial to your heart and mind.
7. Quit smoking.
Individuals who smoke are more
likely to experience heart attacks than
nonsmokers. Smoking cessation can
have positive outcomes for your body
– and especially your heart.
“Be proactive with your heart health.
It’s better to get answers early so your
doctor can guide you to a solution,”
recommends Dr. Aguinaga-Meza.
Visit ClevelandClinic.org/LoveYourHeart
for more information about heart
health. To schedule an appointment
with Dr. Aguinaga-Meza or another
cardiologist at South Pointe Hospital,
call 216.491.7380.
Melina
Aguinaga-Meza, MD
Cleveland Clinic
South Pointe Hospital
Debasis Sahoo, MD
Cleveland Clinic
Marymount and South
Pointe hospitals
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
(COPD) encompasses diseases that
affect the lungs like chronic bronchitis
and emphysema. It comes with
troublesome symptoms like fatigue,
wheezing, chest tightness and chronic
cough.
Over time, COPD makes it harder to
breathe. In turn, everyday activities
become difficult because the inability to
breathe normally zaps your energy.
“Pulmonary rehab is a vital part of treatment for those
with COPD,” says Debasis Sahoo, MD, Medical Director of
the pulmonary rehabilitation program at Cleveland Clinic
Marymount and South Pointe hospitals. “It helps patients to
manage their condition while improving their general health.”
Doctors consider pulmonary rehab a cornerstone of COPD
management. A medically supervised well-structured exercise
and education program, pulmonary rehab uses cardio and
resistance training to help control symptoms and encourages
other positive lifestyle changes.
Dr. Sahoo says pulmonary rehab can help you to:
• Breathe easier.
• Improve your quality of life.
• Move around more easily.
• Exercise so you can
stay healthy.
• Manage anxiety and
depression.
“Once you’re done with formal rehab, you can integrate the
exercise and techniques that you learned in the program to
sustain the benefits,” explains Dr. Sahoo.
Scientific evidence shows that people who start pulmonary
rehabilitation within three months of COPD-related
hospitalization have higher one-year survival rates.
“Pulmonary rehabilitation also focuses on psychological and
behavioral modifications that benefit patients over time,” says
Dr. Sahoo.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Sahoo at Marymount or
South Pointe hospitals, call 216. 444.6503.
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