Make lifestyle changes

Lifestyle changes are key to managing CHF. Your doctor may offer slightly different recommendations based on your individual diagnosis. But there are a few common threads that are universal for all CHF patients: Make sure you get enough rest each night, stay hydrated, manage stress, and limit alcohol consumption.

Follow a heart-healthy diet

A heart-healthy diet is one that is rich in fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains. Limit fatty foods; those high in cholesterol, salt, saturated fat, and trans fat; and sweets. Managing your diet will help you manage many of the risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol and high blood sugar.

Manage your medications

If you’re prescribed any medications, especially for CHF and other heart conditions, taking them consistently and correctly is essential for your overall health. Not taking them as directed, whether intentionally or not, can lead to adverse impacts on health, such as increased side effects and condition-related flare-ups. It’s important to follow the instructions from your doctor. If you have questions about taking your medications, our Independence Registered Nurse Health Coaches are a great resource. They can help you manage your conditions through monitoring, education, teaching self-care, and adopting healthy lifestyle changes, all available to you at no extra cost.

Limit sodium and fluids

When your heart isn’t pumping enough blood, fluid can build up in your body and make your weight go up. This is because salt causes you to hold onto water. This fluid can back up into the lungs — that’s the congestive part of CHF. Monitoring fluid and sodium (salt) intake is important, says advanced practice registered nurse Jenny Martin. She is the chief nursing officer at RecoveryPlus.health, where she works to help rehabilitate patients after heart events. “Generally, the patient will be instructed to take 1,500 to 2,000 mg of sodium and two liters or so of fluids daily.” This can help prevent fluid retention. While limiting fluids, remember to drink enough water to stay hydrated.

Get physically active

Being physically active decreases some of the risk factors of heart disease. “Exercise can increase the strength of the heart,” says Steven Marshall, D.N.P., who has spent much of his career working with critically ill patients, including those with heart disease. “Exercise can also decrease blood pressure, which reduces the resistance of the blood vessels the heart must pump against,” he says.

Stop smoking

Each time you smoke, you take in nicotine, which increases your heart rate and blood pressure. The increased heart rate and blood pressure not only puts more stress on your heart but also decreases the amount of blood that is delivered to your body organs. For these reasons, it’s important to stop smoking altogether.