About a year ago, a close family member of ours was diagnosed with congestive heart failure (CHF). At first, it seemed slightly overwhelming because the diagnosis alone can evoke worry, uncertainty, or even frustration about what life will look like moving forward and involve thinking about the worst-case scenario. You may feel that your entire life is disrupted. Still, according to health experts, there are about 6.2 million adults living with congestive heart failure, and many can live whole, active lives with CHF by learning how to care for their heart through simple daily choices.
Think of the body like a car, and your heart is the engine. When it isn’t pumping correctly, you will start to feel the effects. For a car, it may not feel right when driving or may start to sound funny. But for your body, you may notice tiredness, shortness of breath, or swelling in your legs or ankles. These changes can be discouraging, but the good news is that lifestyle habits, such as the foods you eat, how you move, and how you manage stress, play a significant role in helping your heart function properly. It is a chronic condition that quietly alters how the heart works. It happens when the heart muscle becomes too weak or too stiff to pump blood as it should. The heart doesn’t stop working; it simply can’t keep up with the body’s demands for blood and oxygen. As a result, fluid may begin to accumulate in the lungs, legs, or even the abdomen, leaving a person feeling short of breath or weighed down by swelling and fatigue.
Signs and Symptoms
- Shortness of breath with mild activity or when lying flat: You might notice it’s harder to catch your breath climbing stairs, walking across a room, or lying down at night. This happens as fluid starts to back up into the lungs.
- Fatigue or loss of stamina: Tasks that used to feel easy, like grocery shopping, cooking, or taking a short walk, may suddenly feel exhausting. The heart isn’t pumping enough blood to supply muscles and organs with the oxygen they need.
- Mild swelling (edema): Shoes, socks, or rings may feel tighter, especially later in the day. This swelling often appears in the feet, ankles, legs, or abdomen due to fluid retention.
- Weight gain over a few days: A sudden gain of 2–3 pounds in a short time may indicate fluid buildup, not fat.
- Cough or chest congestion: A persistent cough, especially at night or when lying down, can be a sign of fluid in the lungs.
- Increased nighttime urination: When lying down, excess fluid shifts and the kidneys produce more urine.
- Feeling lightheaded or confused: Reduced blood flow to the brain can cause trouble concentrating or occasional dizziness.
- Loss of appetite or nausea: When the digestive system receives less blood flow, it can slow digestion and make you feel full quickly.
Heart failure doesn’t develop overnight; it often follows years of strain from conditions such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, or diabetes. Recognizing early symptoms and working with healthcare professionals to manage them can make a profound difference in maintaining both health and quality of life.
Tips to Help Live With CHF
Unfortunately, there is no cure for CHF, but with proper care and management, you can treat the symptoms and help yourself feel better, whether you are managing the condition yourself, with the help of your loved ones or caregivers, or with the support of your healthcare team. While your healthcare team will help guide you through medical interventions, here are some simple lifestyle changes you can make today.
Dietary Changes
Eating the right foods can make a big difference in managing heart failure. A heart-healthy diet helps reduce fluid buildup, lower blood pressure, and improve energy.
Tips
- Limit Sodium (Salt): Too much salt causes fluid retention. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 1,500–2,000 mg of sodium per day.
- Control Fluids: Your healthcare provider may recommend limiting how much fluid you drink to reduce swelling and fluid buildup in the lungs.
- Choose Whole Foods: Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and beans can help support heart health. An excellent option for adding to meals quickly is frozen vegetables that contain no added ingredients, as they can often be heated up in the microwave.
- Limit Processed Foods: Frozen meals, packaged snacks, canned soups, and fast food may seem like quick and easy options, but often contain hidden sodium, unhealthy fats, and/or artificial ingredients.
- Moderate Alcohol and Caffeine: Both can stress the heart and interfere with medications.
Diets to Consider
- Mediterranean Diet: Focuses on whole, minimally processed foods, and personally, one of our favorite diets because it is just as much a lifestyle as it is a diet. Includes healthy oils, fruits and vegetables, nuts, lean meats, and whole grains, and is shown to support heart health and reduce inflammation.
- DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension): Very similar to the Mediterranean Diet by focusing on whole, nutrient-rich foods, but it places special emphasis on reducing sodium and balancing key minerals (potassium, calcium, and magnesium) to support healthy blood pressure and overall cardiovascular health. The DASH diet was specifically designed to lower blood pressure and is considered the gold standard for this purpose.
Exercise and Physical Activity
Exercise may sound challenging with CHF, but regular physical activity strengthens the heart and improves quality of life. Always check with your doctor before starting an exercise plan.
Safe Exercises
- Walking: A low-impact way to build stamina.
- Cycling (stationary bike): Gentle on the joints and heart.
- Light strength training: Builds muscle without overworking the heart.
- Stretching and yoga: Improves flexibility and reduces stress.
Tips for Exercising Safely
- Start slowly and gradually increase activity.
- Rest when you feel tired.
- Avoid extreme temperatures (hot or cold weather).
- Stop if you feel chest pain, dizziness, or unusual shortness of breath.
Other Habits
Some daily habits and coping strategies are just as important as exercise and diet.
Lifestyle Tips
- Take Medications as Prescribed: Never skip doses.
- Monitor Weight Daily: Sudden weight gain may signal fluid buildup.
- Quit Smoking: Smoking damages blood vessels and the heart.
- Manage Stress: Try relaxation techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, or prayer.
- Get Quality Sleep: Poor sleep worsens heart health. Ask your doctor if you might have sleep apnea.
- Go Out and Have Fun: Remain socially connected with friends, family, or support groups.
- Educate Yourself: Learn more about CHF so you can feel more in control and understand the treatment plan options.
- Work with Your Healthcare Team: Ask questions and be active in your care plan.