Overview

If you have diabetes, heart disease, or blood pressure or cholesterol problems, making healthy lifestyle changes can help. Changing your diet, getting more exercise, and getting rid of harmful habits can reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, and other serious health problems. Even small changes can help. Start with steps that you can take right away. Think about things such as time limits, stress, and temptations that might get in the way, and figure out how you can avoid or overcome them.

Work with your doctor to plan lifestyle changes to deal with your health problem.

How can you care for yourself at home?

• If your doctor recommends it, get more exercise. For many people, walking is a good choice. Or you may want to swim, bike, or do other activities. Bit by bit, increase the time you're active every day. Try for at least 2½ hours a week. Visit the Alberta Healthy Living Program to learn about programs in Alberta.
• Eat healthy foods.
  • Choose vegetables and fruits, whole grains foods, and protein foods.
  • Limit saturated fat and reduce salt.
• Stay at a weight that's healthy for you. Talk to your doctor if you need help with this.
• If you smoke, try to quit. Smoking can make most chronic health problems worse. If you need help quitting, talk to your doctor about stop-smoking programs and medicines. These can increase your chances of quitting for good. Call the AlbertaQuits Helpline at 1-866-710-7848 to learn about programs in Alberta.
• If you drink alcohol, try to drink less. Your risk of harm from alcohol is low if you have 2 drinks or less per week, moderate if you have 3 to 6 drinks per week, and high if you have 7 or more drinks per week. Drinking can lead to cancer, liver problems, high blood pressure, and other health problems. The more you drink, the higher your risk for injuries to yourself and others.
• Take your medicines on time and in the right amounts. Use a pillbox to organize them, and use schedules, alarms, or other tools to help you stay on track. For medicines to work properly, you must take them as directed. Call your doctor or nurse advice line if you think you are having a problem with your medicine.
• Get your blood pressure checked often. Get a cholesterol test when your doctor tells you to. And keep track of your blood sugar if you have diabetes.