Heart Health Online Health Center

	Take Control of Your Heart Health
Taking control of your heart health starts with understanding your personal risk factors. We have developed a comprehensive Heart Health Control Center here that will help you understand these risk factors, manage those you can control and even guide you in making decisions about medical tests and treatments that are right for you. Here are the topics covered in this new section: Understanding your personal risk factors Quitting smoking Keeping your blood pressure under control Keeping your cholesterol in check Keeping diabetes under control Getting and staying active Maintaining a healthy weight Adopting healthy coping skills for stressful situations Talking to your doctor about aspirin therapy Making heart health decisions that are right for you Go to the Heart Health Control Center now... Here is an overview of ways to Take Control of Your Heart Health:
Quit Smoking Quitting smoking can lower your blood pressure, risk for heart attack, and risk for heart disease. People who smoke are more likely to develop heart disease, are at greater risk of sudden death after a heart attack, and are twice as likely to die from a stroke compared to those who don’t smoke. Learn how smoking increases your risk of heart attack or visit our Tobacco Cessation Online Health Center for resources to help you quit. Keep Your Blood Pressure Under Control About 75 percent of people who have a stroke, heart attack or heart failure also have high blood pressure. High blood pressure (or hypertension) is called a “silent killer” because people who have it often feel no physical symptoms. Learn How to Control Your Blood Pressure in Hill Physicians' Heart Health Control Center... Adopt the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet In one recent study, people who followed the DASH diet for eight weeks lowered their risk for heart disease by 18% compared to those eating a typical American diet. To learn more view our DASH diet ActionSet or download the National Institute of Health’s DASH Eating Plan. Paced Breathing for Hypertension Practicing slow, paced breathing rhythm allows muscles and blood vessels to relax, leading to improved blood flow and lower blood pressure. Listen to our free paced breathing podcasts here... Reduce Stress and Negative Emotions Stress can increase blood pressure. Use our stress reduction tools to alleviate stress in your life. Listen and learn stress reduction and emotional wellness techniques with our Heart Health Stress Management Tools... Learn More About High Blood Pressure See our High Blood Pressure health library topic for more information. [back to top] Keep Your Cholesterol in Check High cholesterol levels can lead to build up in your arteries, making it harder for your heart to pump blood. The good news is that there are many things you can do to control high cholesterol. Learn more about high cholesterol and how to control it here... If You Have Diabetes, Keep It Under Control Diabetes can cause the arteries that supply blood to the heart to harden and narrow faster than in people without diabetes. Visit our Diabetes Online Health Center for resources on living well with diabetes. Get and Stay Active Being active every day can reduce your risk for heart problems and prevent or control high cholesterol and high blood pressure. See our health library topic Fitness: Getting and Staying Active here... [back to top] Maintain a Healthy Weight Research shows that excess weight and unhealthy eating habits are proven risk factors for developing heart disease. Learn more about weight management for heart health in Hill Physicians' Heart Health Control Center here... Adopt Healthy Coping Skills for Stressful Situations Those with healthy coping skills are at lower risk for developing heart disease than those who tend to act out in response to stressful events or keep things bottled up. Try a Hill Physicians Relaxation Podcast Watch a Hill Physicians Emotional Wellness Video Learn more about stress management [back to top] Talk to Your Doctor About Aspirin Therapy Daily low-dose aspirin can reduce heart attack and stroke risk for people with higher-risk conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and a family history of heart problems. Use our decision guide Aspirin: Should I Take Daily Aspirin to Prevent a Heart Attack or Stroke? to guide a discussion with your doctor to decide whether daily aspirin is right for you. Make Heart Health Decisions That Are Right for You You are an important partner in making decisions about your healthcare. Our Shared Decision-Making tools have important questions and answers to help you make the right decisions. Get started with Hill Physicians' Shared Decision-Making aids. [back to top]
	Learn More About Heart Health
Download our Tips for Managing Heart Health There are several factors that can affect heart health including blood pressure, cholesterol, exercise, smoking, stress & weight management.  Tips for Quitting Smoking Tips for Managing Blood Pressure   Tips for Managing Cholesterol  Tips for Managing Your Weight  Tips for Exercise and Physical Activity  Tips for Managing Stress  [back to top]
Health Library Topics We’re proud to partner with Healthwise to deliver the Healthwise Knowledgebase® to you. The following topics have been selected to help you learn more about Heart Health. General Overviews of Heart Health Whether you were recently diagnosed with a heart condition or are interested in learning more about heart health, our health library contains overviews on several heart-related topics, medical tests and medications. Learn about heart problems. [back to top]
Treatment Options for Common Heart Problems For help with making a decision about a heart or circulatory-related surgery or procedure, go to our Heart Health Decision Guides page... If you decide to have surgery, be sure to listen to our Preparing for Surgery and Healing from Surgery audio podcasts to learn how the mind-body connection works to speed healing. Medications Prescription drugs, over the counter medications and other treatments are commonly are used to prevent heart disease from progressing as well as to manage its symptoms. Taking your medication as prescribed is important. It’s easy to start a new prescription and over time forget or misunderstand why you are taking it. Hill Physicians Pharmacy Consultation Program Hill Physicians members who take at least eight prescription drugs, have been hospitalized more than once in the past year or have two or more long-term medical conditions are encouraged to schedule a free telephone consultation with a Hill Physicians pharmacist. Request a Hill Physicians Pharmacy Consultation.  Keep Your Medication Information Up to Date If you take medicines regularly, whether prescribed or over-the-counter, keeping detailed records of current medications, doses, and reasons for taking the medicine can be helpful to you, your family, and your medical care team. Download a medications list, a daily medicine schedule, and a new medicine information form from our health library to keep track of this this important information. Learn more about medicines for heart and circulatory problems. For help weighing the benefits of heart medications with your personal preferences, visit our Health Health Decision Guides page... [back to top]
	Hill Physicians Heart Health Management Programs
Heart Health Web Videos and Podcasts Our Health Multimedia tools include podcasts and videos created by our health educators and wellness experts on topics important to you and your family's health. Nutrition Fit Videos Learn how to make smart eating and fitness decisions at home, at work, and on the go. Watch a Nutrition Fit video...  Stress Reduction Videos Learn techniques for Reducing Stress here... Relaxation and Stress Reduction Podcasts Download or listen to a relaxation and/or stress reduction podcast here... Emotional Wellness Videos Learn techniques for Promoting Emotional Wellness here... [back to top] Heart-Healthy Recipes Visit our Recipe Center for heart-healthy recipes and healthy meal ideas. Nutrition Counseling Hill Physicians members who have been diagnosed with a chronic or dietary-related condition can receive one-on-one nutrition counseling. Ask your physician for a referral or contact Member Health Improvement. Hill Physicians Pharmacy Consultation Program Hill Physicians members who take at least eight prescription drugs, have been hospitalized more than once in the past year or have two or more long-term medical conditions are encouraged to schedule a free telephone consultation with a Hill Physicians pharmacist. Request a Hill Physicians Pharmacy Consultation. Hill Physicians Member Health Improvement Resources Hill Physicians' Member Health Improvement department can refer you to heart health programs if offered by your health plan. Contact our Member Health Improvement department for more information on these valuable resources. [back to top]
	Resources for Heart Health Management
Hill Physicians is dedicated to providing heart health management tools to help you live a healthy, active life. Hill Physicians Heart Healthy Recipes Our health educators and registered dieticians have created a cornucopia of delicious and heart-healthy recipes. View heart-healthy recipes in our Recipe Center.  Staying Active Staying active and exercising regularly is an important part of maintaining a healthy heart.  Quick tips for fitting exercise into your day  Fitness: Adding More Activity to Your Life Fitness: Staying Active [back to top] Managing Stress and Increasing Coping Skills Stress can contribute to heart attacks. Research shows that learning stress management helps with cardiomyopathy and overall well being. Stress management tip sheet  Relaxation Podcasts Emotional Wellness Videos Stress Management Action Set Learn more about stress management Discounted Yoga Classes for Hill Physicians Members We're pleased to partner with independent yoga instructors to offer Hill Physicians members a 15 percent discount on yoga classes. To find a class near you, visit our yoga discounts page here. Online Programs Most health plans offer programs for heart health for their members on their websites. Hill Physicians works with many of California's top health plans. Contact our Member Health Improvement department for more information on specific programs offered by your health plan. The following links provide ongoing support for heart health management. BMI Calculator  American Heart Association Nutritrion Center Stay Young at Heart Recipes [back to top]
	Other Ways to Find Help
Hill Physicians recommends the following support groups and other resources for heart health management. American Heart Association Mended Hearts National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Information Center En Español Insuficiencia Cardíaca En Línea Heart Attack Heart Attack Symptoms & Warning Signs Stroke American Stroke Association National Stroke Association [back to top]

The information provided is meant to aid in your education on health and wellness. Hill Physicians strongly recommends that you seek the advice of a medical professional for medical and/or psychological ailments.