Happy New Year! Let this year be the opportunity to experience a new you!
Living with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) can be challenging, as blockages in your arteries prevent blood from adequately flowing through your legs. If blood is not moving through your legs, tissue damage and eventually tissue death can occur. Left untreated, there is a chance of stroke, heart attack, kidney disease, and amputation. Untreated PAD can be life-threatening.
There isn’t a cure for PAD, but you can manage and possibly even reverse the symptoms. For many, PAD can be managed with lifestyle modifications including sticking to a program specially crafted by your vascular specialist. For others with more advanced disease, minimally-invasive endovascular procedures are another option to relieve symptoms, get walking again, and prevent amputation.
Exercise is a key component to reversing PAD symptoms. Studies show that patients who engage in regular physical activity have fewer and less severe symptoms.1 Further, patients who have undergone successful PAD treatment can walk much further without pain. Routine workouts can also aid in improving your mood, self-esteem, energy, and sleep. Additionally, exercise can reduce your risk of other cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease, stroke, or heart attack.
Don’t know where to start? Ask your doctor. He or she might recommend supervised exercise therapy or a walking program to help manage your PAD.Houston Vascular has a walking program designed to increase blood flow through your legs to open your arteries without putting too much strain on your body. Not sure if the program is too much or too little for you? We are always here to answer any questions and adjust along the way!
Regardless of the exercise regimen, consistency is the key. Aim to get some kind of activity as often as you can.
Note: Before making any lifestyle changes to help with your symptoms, it is important to discuss your plan with your Primary Care Physician (PCP) or Vascular Specialist.
Healthy Diet & Weight
There are many risk factors for PAD, including obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and diabetes. A heart-healthy diet can help you control these risk factors, in addition to decreasing your likelihood of experiencing a stroke, heart attack, or heart disease.
In general, it is important to eat a diet low in salt, added sugars, and red meat. Avoid processed food. Instead, focus on meals that feature vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Include low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, legumes, nuts, seeds, and non-tropical vegetable oils like olive oil. It is also important to maintain a healthy weight.
Between exercise and diet, you’ll be on track for a healthier you with healthier arteries!
Quit Smoking
Did you know tobacco use constricts your arteries and is a significant risk factor for PAD?
Smoking cessation reduces the risk of your symptoms developing further and lowers your odds of developing Cardiovascular Disease (CVD).
Studies show that people who keep smoking after their diagnosis have a higher risk of death from complications of heart disease] than those who quit after their diagnosis
We know quitting cigarettes or tobacco is easier said than done. If you’re having trouble quitting on your own, ask your doctor about smoking cessation programs, which might include behavior modification programs, nicotine replacement therapy, and a stop-smoking support group.
Learn more about how the new year is a perfect opportunity to make lifestyle choices for a new you!
If You Don’t Prepare for Your Wellness, Plan for Your Illness
We’d like to remind you that you are not alone on your journey to a healthier you! Support can be vital to staying motivated and progressing in your PAD journey.
- Share your goals with friends and family. They can help you to stay motivated or accompany you on your exercise regimen. Even if your companion doesn’t love to exercise, they might enjoy a nice walk with you.
- Join a support group, senior center (if applicable), or other social group. Social connections can help improve your mental health and well-being.
- You could also consider joining an exercise group or hiring a personal trainer to help you reach your goals. Sometimes, accountability can make the difference between skipping today’s session or keeping your streak.
- See your primary care doctor and vascular specialist regularly to monitor your health and address any potential health issues. Your doctors want to see you succeed and should be happy to troubleshoot. Stay on top of follow-up appointments with Houston Vascular Care to assess your progress and talk about anything you may need to change. Your health plan should be tailored to you and may need to be updated depending on how it’s going. This is especially important for chronic health conditions, like PAD. Houston Vascular Care’s providers will be with you every step of the way.