5 minute read
We love cardiac health
Gleaner Life Medical Director Robyn Smith shares daily heart-healthy living tips
Summer serves up images of grilling and vacation food, exploring the great outdoors, family get-togethers, and other scenes that make our hearts glad.
It also is a good season to make our hearts healthier, especially since heart disease remains America’s biggest killer.
“Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. in both men and women,” Gleaner Life Insurance Society Medical Director Robyn L. Smith noted. “The most common type of heart disease is coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD is when heart arteries become narrowed with blockage, a primary cause of heart attack.”
In 2020 (the most recent year for data), CAD caused 382,820 deaths, according to the American Heart Association. Heart disease and stroke claim more lives in the U.S. than all forms of cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease combined. e Heart Association added that the annual number of first-time heart attacks was 605,000 between 2005 and 2014, with an additional 200,000 recurrent attacks.
There is good news, however. Nationally, CAD’s annual death rate declined 19.2% from 2010 to 2020. As individuals, we can lower many of our cardiac risk factors by making lifestyle changes. In some cases, such as narrowing of the arteries, damage can even be reversed, potentially giving us additional years of active, high-quality living. is means more time to spend enjoying family activities, grandchildren, traveling, volunteering or any other interests.
Here are a few ways to reduce our cardiac risks in 2023:
1. Tobacco use
“STOP!” pleads Smith. Smoking is the leading risk factor for years of life lost to premature death. Dozens of studies also link second-hand smoke to mortality risk increases for heart disease (23% higher), total mortality (18%), and stroke (29%).
2. Move more
“Take walks or do whatever form of movement and exercise you’re able to do,” Smith advises. A total of 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise (over three or more days) may be ideal. “But even 5, 10 or 15 minutes of exercise a day is better than none!”
3. Make dietary changes
Focus on colorful summer foods with vegetables and fruit, whole grains, fiber, nuts, and legumes such as beans. e Mediterranean-style diet is supported by many years of study. Other heart-favorable diets are the DASH diet and vegetarian (or “pescatarian” or “flexitarian”) diets. Limit red meat, processed foods, added sugars and salt, as well as alcohol. Pay attention to portion sizes.
4. Reduce stress
Exercise is one of many ways to reduce stress. e Greek philosopher Diogenes is credited for treating problems with the prescription, “It is solved by walking.” Thomas Jefferson, Henry Thoreau, and Ernest Hemingway expressed similar thoughts.
5. Improve sleep
Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep per night. Studies show shorter durations or poor sleep quality are associated with high blood pressure, increased cholesterol, inflammation, and atherosclerosis.
6. Know your numbers
Keeping track of your blood pressure, cholesterol, weight and your daily exercise amounts can help you move the dial in the right direction. Regular checkups are one way to track this.
As a bonus, lifestyle changes improve more than cardiac health. Taking these steps can decrease risks of cancer as well as other diseases and problems. Exercise, for example, also reduces fall/injury risks in older adults. Other means, such as medicine, may also be needed to help modify and lower risk.
Gleaner Life encourages members to take whatever steps they can to live an active life powered by a healthier heart. “Get regular checkups with your providers to help determine what will work best for you,” Smith encourages. “The proverbial ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure!”
Gleaner Medical Director practices what she preaches
Whether skiing in winter or golf and gardening in warmer weather, Gleaner Life Medical Director Robyn L. Smith practices what she preaches about staying active. She became the Medical Director of Gleaner Life Insurance Society in June of 2020, but has been a PA for well over 30 years — specializing in the last 10-plus years in insurance medicine.
“My area is internal medicine and I practiced clinically in and around Detroit, where born and raised, and in Lansing, Michigan,” Robyn explained. Her experience ranged from outpatient primary care to extended care facility to hospital care. is included time spent in cardiology at Beaumont Hospital during the advent of stents, on an inpatient rehab unit caring for the medical problems of both simple and complex cases such as long-stay TBI (traumatic brain injury), and on hospitalist teams. “Since stepping away from full-time work in 2020, I am currently working with the wonderful folks at Gleaner Life and enjoying life!”
For fun, Robyn enjoys the Michigan outdoors as well as travel. She lists her activities as bad golf in nice weather, skiing (both cross country and downhill), gardening (“A contact sport at my house!”), yoga, and a great circle of friends and family.
