Tips on CHF:
See your doctor regularly in evaluating your CHF.
Closely follow your doctor’s instructions, being compliant with the instructions and taking your meds.
Immediately call your doctor of any significant change in your condition, such as an intensified shortness of breath or swollen feet or weight gain of 3lbs or more within one week.
Control your weight in making it easier for your heart, that’s in failure, to function better (less stress).
Watch what you eat and how much. Watch the diet intake of cholesterol and sodium that can cause a negative impact on the heart by causing stress to the organ through either high B/P=high sodium that causes vasoconstriction or high cholesterol frequently=blockage in an artery and both cause diminishing of oxygenated blood getting to the heart. Without oxygen to our tissues or cells this causes tissue & cellular starvation. What is starvation to the heart=chest pain (what we call angina). Take a brittle diabetic, the furthest area from the heart is the feet the first area to experience starvation is the toes, foot or lower extremity which is why this is usually the first to be amputated if necessary (you usually see an upper extremity amputated due to trauma).
Limit or stop alcohol consumption as your doctor informs you.
Of course, stop smoking permanently if actively smoking.
The best defense against heart failure is PREVENTION! Almost all the cardiac risk factors can be controlled of eliminated (smoking, obese, high cholesterol, high B/P, diabetes).
Going to the doctor can be stressful but know he is there for you. It is hard to remember everything you want to ask the doctor with everything you hear at your visit. It helps to prepare a list of questions you may have and bring it with you at your appointment to address to the doctor your concerns. In doing this it helps you with your appointment so you can record the answers by listing them on the paper you have. Before you leave the doctor’s office, be sure you understand your condition and its treatment, including any medications your taking this doctor ordered for you with him or her knowing any other medications you may be on through a different doctor to prevent side effects or adverse reactions but if you forget this about the medications there is always your pharmacist you can ask than your M.D. later. With you knowing this information you will see why it is so vital for you doing all these actions or inter- ventions for your disease that the doctor ordered and you’re more out to follow them as well.
If you are needing any guidance in how to lose weight through using all 4 food groups, with assistance in what to eat now to lose weight till in therapeutic range for your height than eating food from the market or needing to understand how the body works with food and metabolism with where activity comes into play go to healthyusa.tsfl.com and see what we can provide you in answering all these questions for you through Dr. Anderson and myself as your coach free. SO LIVE AS HEALTHY AS POSSIBLE IN YOUR ROUTINE HABITS, YOUR DIETING OF THE 4 FOOD GROUPS, MAINTAINING YOUR WEIGHT IN A THEREPEUTIC RANGE (look as calculating BMI online for free to find out what your weight range for your height is), and BALANCING REST WITH EXERCISE TO HELP DECREASE THE CHANCE OF GETTING HEART FAILURE. Go to healthyusa.tsfl.com to learn what Dr. Anderson through his book of “Dr. A.’s Healthy Habits” and me (for free) as your health coach could provide you with. Just take a view of what can be offered to you for no price with no hacking go to healthyusa.tsfl.com and take a peek;) Join me like many who are trying to live life healthier with making America a healthier home and we all should take part to help the health care system to be more effective for our society. Recommended to anyone with disease before changing your diet, activity/exercise program review with your doctor to get clearance to maintain your safety.