Lifestyle and home remedies

Making lifestyle changes can often help relieve signs and symptoms of heart failure and prevent the disease from worsening. These changes may be among the most important and beneficial you can make:

• Stop smoking. Smoking damages your blood vessels, raises blood pressure, reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood and makes your heart beat faster.

  If you smoke, ask your doctor to recommend a program to help you quit. You can't be considered for a heart transplant if you continue to smoke. Avoid secondhand smoke, too.

• Check your legs, ankles and feet for swelling daily. Contact your doctor if the swelling worsens.
• Discuss weight monitoring with your doctor. Weight gain may mean that you're retaining fluids and need a change in your treatment plan. Ask your doctor how often you should weigh yourself and when to contact your doctor because of weight gain.
• Maintain a healthy weight. If you're overweight, a dietitian can help you work toward your ideal weight. Even losing a small amount of weight can help improve your heart health.
• Eat a healthy diet. Aim to eat a diet that includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, and lean proteins.

• Limit salt. Too much salt (sodium) can cause water retention, which makes your heart work harder and causes shortness of breath and swollen legs, ankles and feet.

  Ask your doctor if you should follow a no-salt or low-salt diet. Keep in mind that salt is already added to prepared foods, and be careful when using salt substitutes.

• Limit saturated or trans fats in your diet. In addition to avoiding salty foods, limit the amount of saturated and trans fats in your diet. These potentially harmful dietary fats increase your risk of heart disease.
• Get vaccinations. Ask your doctor about getting influenza, pneumonia and COVID-19 vaccinations.

• Limit alcohol and fluids. Your doctor may recommend that you don't drink alcohol if you have heart failure, since it can interact with your medication, weaken your heart muscle and increase your risk of abnormal heart rhythms.

  If you have severe heart failure, your doctor may also suggest that you limit the amount of fluids you drink.

• Be active. Moderate aerobic activity helps keep the rest of your body healthy and conditioned, reducing the demands on your heart muscle. But be sure to talk to your doctor about an exercise program that's right for you. Your doctor may suggest a walking program or a cardiac rehabilitation program at your local hospital.

• Reduce stress. When you're anxious or upset, your heart beats faster, you breathe more heavily and your blood pressure often goes up. This can make heart failure worse, since your heart is already having trouble meeting the body's demands.

  Find ways to reduce stress in your life. To give your heart a rest, try napping or putting your feet up when possible. Spend time with friends and family to be social and help keep stress at bay.

• Sleep easy. If you're having shortness of breath, especially at night, sleep with your head propped up using a pillow or a wedge. If you snore or have had other sleep problems, make sure you get tested for sleep apnea.