Your doctor will probably recommend some changes in your
daily activities, exercise, and diet. These changes will depend
largely on what your habits were before you were diagnosed with
CHF, on the cause of your CHF, and on how well your heart is
responding to treatment.
Your doctor will regulate your activity depending on your
condition. Treat activities like bathing, shaving, eating, and
dressing as physical exercises, spacing them over time, doing them
at a slow to moderate pace, and resting after each one. Resting does not necessarily mean sleeping. You can rest by sitting quietly in a chair for 20 to 30 minutes. Later, as the medications begin to work and you begin to feel better, you will be encouraged to increase your activity.
Regular exercise, such as walking or swimming, helps to keep the
heart strong, lower anxiety, and control weight and blood pressure.
The kind of exercises you may do and the level at which you may
exercise depend on the severity of your CHF. Check with your
healthcare provider for advice.
When you exercise, follow these important guidelines:
1. Pace yourself. Regular exercise should not wear you out. It
should increase your ability to do more.
2. Start by doing warm-up and stretching exercises.
3. Do not exercise immediately after meals.
4. Do not exercise in extreme heat or cold.
5. Stop exercising IMMEDIATELY if you have chest pain,
marked shortness of breath, or if you do not feel well for any reason.
6. Finish with cool-down activities.
If you can’t stop smoking by yourself, ask your healthcare provider
for help.
Your doctor will probably recommend a low-salt (low-sodium)
diet. Salt makes the body hold onto water and may lead to fluid
build-up. Your doctor, nurse, or dietitian can give you more
information about your diet and special instructions.
Ask your healthcare provider how many milligrams (mg.) of salt
(sodium) you can have each day. A low-salt diet usually allows 2,000
mg. of sodium, but your sodium allowance may vary depending on
your health.
In planning your diet, remember to read the label on packaged
and canned foods for information on sodium (salt) content.
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