Despite what the media and infomercials would have you believe, there are no quick fixes or magic pills when it comes to attaining a long-term, heart-healthy lifestyle. The American Heart Association confirmed that with their recent revision to diet and lifestyle recommendations, released in Summer 2006 in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. The previous guidelines published in 2000 focused mostly on healthy eating, but what has become very apparent is that physical activity and healthy lifestyle choices are of critical importance as well.

The language of the recommendations has changed as they emphasize "permanent lifestyle changes," meaning a life-long commitment to exercise, eating healthy and not smoking. "So often people just aren't attentive to how important a healthy lifestyle is until they have a medical emergency and then they are forced to reassess their habits," explains Tony Aventa, MD, internist with Capital Medical Clinic, Austin. "The challenges and motivations for each person to be successful with an exercise program are different. In my practice, we strategize with our patients on practical, realistic ways they can be more proactive with their health."

For example, a person who has bad arthritis or an ulcer in his or her leg, should consider cycling, stationary bicycling or swimming as an aerobic activity rather than running or walking which would be painful. A working mother who has very little free time may be most successful with walking in the evenings with her children. "Even if you do the activity for 10 minutes a day, three days a week, that is a good effort and often an incentive to want to do more," comments Dr. Aventa. Permanent lifestyle changes focus on approaching life tasks in new ways such as choosing the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, turning off the TV in the evening and taking the dog for a walk, or cutting out all fried foods and sodas from your diet.

It's a battle to beat the statistics, but definitely one worth fighting. "Studies show that the average American gains three to five pounds every year of their adult life, which adds up to a lot of extra weight over time. Right now more than one-third of all people living in the U.S. (over 100 million people) are overweight," says Dr. Aventa. "Now consider for every pound you lose in weight, your blood pressure drops two millimeters. For every two millimeter drop, you lower your risk of stroke by seven percent and heart attack by 10 percent." Such a dramatic drop in risk factors directly relates to the American Heart Association's message about the importance of the healthy lifestyle.

Beyond the incentives to decrease the possibility of stroke and heart attacks, there are other great reasons to live healthy and control your weight says Dr. Aventa. "Those benefits include increased stamina, less fatigue, more productive sleep, better confidence and higher self-esteem."

Reality Check: A Look Inside the Body of a Person Who Makes Bad Lifestyle Choices

Forget about all the standard benefits of physical activity - weight control, calorie burning, stress relief, stronger bones and muscles, etc. For some real incentive to get you moving, consider what physically happens inside your body when you get active. "During physical activity, your body increases the good cholesterol (HDL) while decreasing the bad cholesterol (LDL). It's a stabilization process triggered by exercise that protects against cardiac risk," explains Dr. Aventa.

Another benefit of exercise he adds is the promotion of new blood supply. "Increased circulation and breathing generates the stimulation of new blood vessels and better blood flow through the body. This decreases the possibility of blockages happening."

Smoking is another huge trigger of cardiac disease because of the hazardous environment the nicotine and other residuals of smoking create in the body. "Smoking destabilizes the plaque along the artery and vessel walls, making the plaque more likely to break off to either form a clot or blockage," Aventa adds.

Not to be Overlooked: Check ups and Screenings

Eating better, exercising more, not smoking and staying stress free are all key ingredients to healthy living. However, there is an additional key component that shouldn't be overlooked, regardless of your body fat content and commitment to a healthy lifestyle: age-appropriate screenings and periodic well check-ups/physical exams. "There are many health problems that are very asymptomatic and can go undetected for years without the proper tests and screenings. Screenings for those conditions early as opposed to later is highly recommended as it allows for earlier intervention and much more promising outcomes," stresses Dr. Aventa. Following are some guidelines for wellness check ups and screenings.

• Age 30-50: Complete check-up every three years
• Age 50 and up: Complete check-up every year

Appropriate blood work (for cholesterol reading, etc), blood pressure check, urinalysis, baseline EKG, mammogram, colonoscopy, etc. should be administered periodically depending on family history, lifestyle, current health, risk factors and age.

Tony R. Aventa M.D.

Internal Medicine

Capital Medical Clinic

Tony R. Aventa received his undergraduate degree from Austin College and his medical degree from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He did his residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Aventa is board certified in Internal Medicine and he is a retired Major in the United States Air Force.