When most people try to lose weight, they watch one number: the scale. But not all weight loss is...
Eight Tips to Prevent Heart Disease
By: Scottsdale Weight Loss Center
Published: July 9, 2019
Please Don’t Drink Your Calories if You’re Focused on Weight Loss
Liquid calories are fluids consumed as part of your daily diet that often go unnoticed and...
Rock Climbing: Lose Weight on the Wall
If your weight loss efforts have hit a wall, why not climb it? Rock climbing is becoming an...
Weight Watchers vs. Medical Weight Loss Programs in Scottsdale: Comparing the Results
Many residents in Scottsdale, Phoenix, and Glendale struggle with weight loss plateaus despite...
Arizona Medical Weight Loss Programs vs Online Programs: Which One Provides the Best Results?
The weight loss landscape has shifted significantly with the rise of digital health platforms....
Is Brown Rice Healthier Than White Rice?
Is brown rice better than white rice? Intuitively, one would think that brown rice is much...
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that heart disease is the number one cause of death. Up to 31% of all deaths globally can be attributed to complications from heart disease. Age is a large risk factor, but waiting until your 60th birthday to take action is a mistake. Don’t contribute to these gloomy WHO heart disease statistics. Follow these eight rules to protect your heart and live longer and healthier.
- Know your family’s history. If your grandparents or parents had heart disease, you are more likely to suffer from it too. If you aren’t sure, ask relatives who might know. If heart disease is common in your family, following the other recommendations is extra important.
- If you smoke, quit. Smoking is the number one preventable cause of heart disease. The addictive qualities of nicotine make quitting a challenge. Find a partner to quit with you, try nicotine replacement therapy, or talk to your doctor about prescription drugs that may help you kick the habit.
- Watch your weight. Obesity is also a significant risk factor for heart disease. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you eat. Talk to your doctor or a dietitian about developing a plan that works best for you.
- Eat healthily. Eating the right foods is important. Avoid processed and fried foods as much as possible. Cook at home using fresh ingredients. Eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Reduce your serving sizes and be mindful of when you are actually getting full.
- Reduce your blood sugar levels. Cut back on desserts, carbohydrates, and sugary drinks. Foods like blueberries, blackberries, almonds, spinach, and kale are known to lower blood sugar.
- Limit the amount of alcohol you consume. Drinking alcohol in moderation may have some health benefits for those with a healthy lifestyle. However, doctors recommend that you limit your alcohol intake to two drinks a day if you are a man and one drink a day if you are a woman.
- Exercise. The Mayo Clinic recommends that each week you get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise. Examples of moderate exercise are walking, playing catch, and recreational badminton. Vigorous exercise includes running, dancing, and cycling. Weight training twice a week, with 12 to15 repetitions for each muscle group is also recommended.
- Find ways to relieve stress. Do yoga, meditate, talk to a friend, or journal for 20 minutes every day. If stress is a major problem, consider talking to a counselor.
The science behind heart disease prevention is always changing. As the guardian of your own health, it is important to be flexible and incorporate new information into your self-care regime. The threat of heart disease may seem vague and distant. But you don’t have to wait for the distant future to see the benefits. Follow these eight recommendations and feel better every day.
Nick
Nick's Story
"I wish I would have come here first. We spend all our time reacting to the next great weight loss tip or program. It might work for a while, but does not last and we end up yo-yoing from one fad to the next – as we gain more weight." Read More
Gina
Lost 44.5 lbs
"I had no trouble adhering to the meals and they really helped catapult my progress! The classes were so beneficial to me because they helped change my thinking about how I viewed health, nutrition, and fitness.
I will always have my relationship with Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. They truly helped me change my life forever." Read More
Lauren
Lost 60 lbs
"Dr. Ziltzer and everyone who I have come in contact with at the Scottsdale Weight Loss office have been so encouraging and I look forward to seeing them each week. It is now a year and 2 months later since I started. I am down 60 lbs., which is the average amount a 9-year-old weighs, it is crazy to think I lost a whole person! I feel amazing, I hit my goal weight in November 2021 just before Thanksgiving. Nothing on my body hurts anymore..." Read More
Chuck
Lost 66 lbs
"The best thing I did was call the Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. I have a lot more energy, I'm not hungry, and it feels great.
You can take it from me that this is a program that produces results. The staff is always positive, supportive, and never judgmental.
Your visits always result in positive reinforcement, no matter if you had a good week or a bad week." Read More
Emily
Lost 101 lbs
"Here I am at the lowest I have been since high school weighing in at 155lbs. I have lost 101 lbs, BMI of 39 when I started, to 21.6, and of course at body fat % of 47.1 to 26.5%. I told myself by my 30th birthday I wanted to be confident in the way I look and I owe it all to SWLC. The entire staff is so welcoming and they are rooting for you just as much as you are rooting for yourself...." Read More
Reviews
Meet Our Team
Robert Ziltzer, MD, FACP, FAAP, FOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Diana Bone, FNP-C
Specializing in Obesity Medicine
Craig Primack, MD, FACP, FAAP, MFOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Kristen Ash, FNP-C, FNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner
Alicia Earley, FNP-C
Family Nurse Practitioner
