“Health and the heart go hand in hand.”
According to the American Heart Association, someone in the U.S. has a heart attack every 34 seconds! That statistic alone should make us all focused on taking better care of our hearts. However, heart health can do much more than prevent cardiovascular events. Our hearts are central to overall good health. The heart is responsible for pumping nutrient-rich blood throughout the body, supplying oxygen to our brains and other organs, and removing toxins and waste. In other words, our hearts are vital to just about everything that gives us life, including a strong immune system.
Unfortunately, illness and injuries are an inevitable part of life. At some point, we will all suffer some type of illness or incur an injury, whether it be something minor like a sprained wrist or twisted ankle, or a more serious injury such as a broken bone or concussion. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 2.6 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2023, ranging from slips and falls, to vehicular accidents.
How Your Heart Impacts Injury Recovery
While we can’t prevent every injury, we can improve our bodies’ ability to recover by maintaining good heart health. A healthy heart aids in injury recovery by ensuring proper blood circulation, which delivers vital oxygen and nutrients to the injured area, helping tissue to repair itself faster and promote wound healing. Good blood circulation due to a healthy heart can significantly reduce the time it takes for an injury to heal.
On the other hand, poor heart health can restrict blood flow and slow down healing. People with poor heart health may also be more susceptible to complications such as infection.
Ways to Improve Your Heart Health
Since February is American Heart Month, it’s a perfect time to focus on maintaining or improving your heart health. The American Heart Association offers these tips for keeping your heart in good shape:
- Eat a heart-healthy diet, which includes a variety of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains, and avoids processed foods, added salt and sugars, and saturated fats. (Check out these heart-healthy diet guidelines from the Mayo Clinic.)
- Get active. You should strive for at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of heart-pumping physical activity per week to keep your heart strong.
- Stay at a healthy weight. A body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered a healthy weight. (You can calculate your BMI here.)
- Quit smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke.
- Control your cholesterol, blood glucose (blood sugar), and blood pressure.
- Drink alcohol only in moderation.
- Manage stress.
- Get enough sleep.
- Schedule regular yearly physical exams.
Can Heart Health Affect Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)?
Yes. If you have a heart condition, you may be eligible for SSDI benefits if you meet other eligibility requirements. The Social Security Administration considers heart conditions that affect the heart or circulatory systems as “cardiovascular impairments.” To be eligible for benefits, you must have worked in jobs covered by Social Security, your condition must be expected to last more than 12 months or result in death, and you must have symptoms that prevent you from working.
Additionally, if you experience a heart attack due to work conditions that are extremely stressful or physically demanding (e.g., heavy lifting, extreme heat or cold, over-exertion, dangerous working conditions, chronic stress, etc.), you may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. You must be able to prove that your job contributed to the heart attack and was not solely due to a pre-existing condition. Since this can often be difficult to prove, the advice and assistance of an attorney is advisable.
Do You Need Help?
If you have been diagnosed with a heart condition that prevents you from working, The Disability Guys can answer your questions about SSDI eligibility and help you receive benefits if you qualify. In addition, if you or a loved one has been injured at work or cannot work due to a disability, our experienced disability and workers’ compensation attorneys are here to assist you! We have helped tens of thousands of clients receive the benefits they deserve and get their lives back on track. We’re committed to helping you get the financial support you need. Contact us today at (866) 205-2415.