What Can I Do To Live A Healthier Life?

Follow a healthy diet.

Try to lower the amount of salt and fat that you eat every day. For more information on nutrition and heart disease, please see our Nutrition section.

Lose weight. Any reduction in your weight can help lower your blood pressure, cholesterol and other risk factors.

Be physically active. The CDC recommends that adults get a minimum of 2½ hours of physical activity, like brisk walking, each week. They also recommend that you do muscle building exercise at least twice a week.

Take a Total Wellness Class. The OKC-County Health Department offers 8-week classes 4 times a year. These classes teach about healthy eating, physical activity and making healthy lifestyle changes. For more information about these classes, please see our Total Wellness section.

Quit smoking. Cigarette smoke causes damage to the blood vessels in your body causing them to harden. One year after quitting smoking you will already have a lower risk of developing heart disease. For more information on quitting smoking,please see our Tobacco Use Prevention section.

Limit the amount of alcohol you drink. Heavy drinking will have an immediate impact on your blood pressure. Having too much to drink over a long period of time puts you at risk for developing heart disease.

Manage your diabetes. People living with diabetes are more likely to develop heart disease. Keeping your diabetes under control can help lower your risk for developing high blood pressure. For more information on diabetes and heart disease, please see the American Diabetes Association’s High Blood Pressure page.

Take your medication as prescribed. Follow your doctor’s recommendation for all medications that are prescribed for you. If you have any questions about your medications, talk to your health care provider or pharmacist.