Heart Failure Treatment: Lifestyle Changes

MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: This video will help you understand some lifestyle changes you can make to treat heart failure. Please watch the entire video to learn about lifestyle changes for heart failure. As a heart failure patient, you may need to make some lifestyle changes to prevent further damage to your heart. If you smoke, quitting is one of the most important things you can do for your heart. Work with your health care provider to create a nutritious eating plan that also helps you maintain a healthy weight. A heart healthy diet includes vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and whole grains, as well as low-fat, or fat-free dairy products. High-calorie foods such as cookies and soda should be replaced with fruits and vegetables that don't contain added salt and sugar. Examples of foods in a healthy diet include vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, and tomatoes, fruits such as apples, oranges, and strawberries, lean proteins such as fish, chicken, and beans, dairy foods such as low-fat yogurt and cheese, starches such as whole-wheat bread and sweet potatoes, and healthy drinks such as water and fat-free milk. Reduce the amount of salt and sugar you eat. Keep sodium levels below 2,000 milligrams to reduce the amount of water retained by your body. Substitute solid fats with heart-healthy oils such as olive oil. Limit the amount of fluid you drink. Ask your health care provider how much fluid you should drink each day, and remember, a heart-healthy diet doesn't include alcohol. Also, check with your health care provider about an exercise plan that's right for you. 30 minutes of daily low-impact exercise can help strengthen your heart. Talk to your health care provider if you have any questions about lifestyle changes to help you manage heart failure.