Lifestyle Regular aerobic exercise greatly enhances efforts to prevent or recover from heart attack. If you already have a heart condition, schedule a stress test before beginning an exercise program in order to determine how much exertion is safe. Heart attack survivors are advised to exercise with other people rather than alone during the first months of recovery. Many community health and recreation centers offer physician-supervised cardiovascular rehabilitation programs. Relaxation has also been shown to provide relief from pain, which may be encountered during the recovery period.
State of mind is another important consideration in heart attack recovery.
People with a positive attitude about recovery tend to do much better. You may also find, as many others have, that sharing thoughts and emotions with a support group is extremely beneficial. The basic goals of a heart-healthy diet are to keep salt, sugar, and saturated fat to a minimum to reduce cholesterol, control blood pressure, and control weight. Eating magnesium-rich foods such as nuts, beans, bran, fish, and dark green vegetables may help prevent heart attack. Magnesium protects the heart directly and indirectly, by stabilizing heart rate, reducing coronary artery spasm, and combating such conditions as atherosclerosis and high blood pressure.