Three days each week, 81-year-old Vola Hotvedt spends an hour walking on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike and doing upper body exercises. And on the days she’s not doing that, Hotvedt is donning a swimsuit for a rigorous bout of water aerobics.

Like most people who have survived serious heart problems, Hotvedt doesn’t take her health for granted. Three years ago, she underwent open-heart surgery to remove a blockage and has been eating right and exercising ever since, she says.

“I’ve always been active, but now I’ve got an organized [exercise] routine,” she says, thanks to a cardiac rehabilitation program at Wesley’s Health Strategies. The Wichita, Kan.-based program, which closely monitors patients recovering from heart procedures, gave Hotvedt the confidence to start exercising again after what is, for many, a frightening health incident. “They make you feel secure,” she says of the registered nurse-monitored program.

Healthful Changes
Hotvedt has made other changes to improve her health as well. Although she realizes there are some things she can never change – like the fact that heart disease runs in her family – she has taken charge of her exercise routine and her diet. “I watch fat and calories,” Hotvedt says. “I’ve learned to read labels.”

It also has helped Hotvedt to be part of a program designed specifically for people recovering from heart attacks, heart surgeries and similar health problems. “There’s a real camaraderie,” she says. “And that makes a difference.”

Heart Health
For Hotvedt and the millions of Americans affected by heart disease, the impact is tremendous. Together, all forms of cardiovascular disease affect more than 60 million Americans and are responsible for nearly one in every 2.5 adult deaths. In fact, it has been estimated that cardiovascular disease in the United States accounts for more than $300 billion in direct and indirect health care costs.

Coronary artery disease – hardening of the arteries that feed the heart – is one of the most common cardiovascular conditions. And it is largely a preventable condition. As Hotvedt has found, eating a healthful diet, exercising regularly and getting appropriate medical care are the best tools for reducing a person’s risk of coronary artery disease.

Are You at Risk?
Decades of extensive medical research has revealed several risk factors that play a major role in causing heart disease. The good news is that there are "modifiable" risk factors (those that you can change through either lifestyle or medications). While you cannot do anything to reduce "nonmodifiable" risk factors (like heredity), recognizing these is equally important. Any risk factors are a sign to pay closer attention to heart health.

High Cholesterol
LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) is now recognized as the major cause of heart disease. By simply lowering the LDL form of cholesterol, heart disease rates also fall by 20 percent to 45 percent, according to the National Cholesterol Education Program.

If your cholesterol levels are too high, making lifestyle changes may be an effective first approach to reducing them. To make exercise part of your regular routine – and to help prevent heart disease – try these suggestions:

• After checking in with your doctor, start exercising immediately. Find motivation by having a friend exercise with you or signing up for a race.
• Start simply. Do an activity that you are comfortable with such as walking. Walk daily at the same time each day.
• Be successful. Because it is easy to give up on a new exercise plan, avoid obstacles and find sources of reinforcement. Make sure to have the proper clothes and equipment. Set modest goals and reward yourself for small accomplishments. At first, focus on increasing the amount of time you exercise rather than increasing intensity or distance.
• Become an expert in your field. Join a training program, get a coach or read books or magazines. Discover different exercises to improve endurance, strength, speed and efficiency. Learn how to prevent injuries.
• Be balanced. Let your body recover from vigorous workouts by following them with easier ones or a day off. Becoming injured from training too hard is a common reason people get out of the exercise habit.
• Be persistent. Avoid exercising if you are sick or injured, but don't let bad weather or a bad mood keep you from your routine.
• Weave exercise into different parts of your life. Spend time with people who share your athletic interests. Help others get started with a workout routine. Reflect on what exercise means to you.