Following recommendations about diet, exercise and other habits can help to alleviate symptoms, slow your disease's progression and improve your everyday life. In fact, people with mild to moderate heart failure often can lead nearly normal lives as a result. You or your loved ones may have to change your regular routine by...
- Quitting smoking
- Losing or maintaining your weight
- Avoiding alcohol
- Avoiding or limiting caffeine
- Eating a heart-healthy diet that's low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol and sodium
- Being physically active - perhaps participating in a structured rehabilitation program
- Managing stress
- Keeping track of symptoms and reporting any changes that concern you to your healthcare professonal
- Working more closely with your healthcare team
- Monitoring your blood pressure
Making these changes is easier said than done. Dealing with new restrictions and responsibilities is challenging, but working these changes into your daily routine can make a real difference.
This content is reviewed regularly. Last updated 04/10/09.
