Whether you are concerned for a family member, a close friend, an adult child, or a spouse, it’s never easy to bring up health issues in conversation. This can be even more complicated for matters of heart health.
Health disease is the leading cause of death for adult men and women in the United States. If you notice the signs and symptoms of poor heart health in the ones you love, refusing to say something now could have serious repercussions in the future. And because it can take many years for illness to finally manifest, you may also have concerns about someone’s lifestyle before they have symptoms of heart disease.
Although you’re not responsible for the health and wellness of others, you owe it to those around you to speak the truth in love.
This, of course, is easier said than done. More than 12% of people are uncomfortable having candid conversations about their health, whether it happens to be with a family member or not. And it’s not hard to see why: sensitive health subjects rarely start in bad faith, but often end in tension or damaged relationships when managed poorly.
Yet facilitating a heart health conversation is critical – both for the outcome of your conversation and the impact it creates. So how should the discussion begin?
The key to open and honest conversations about heart health always begins with tact. By airing your concerns rather than letting them lie, you will be helping close family and friends prevent heart disease.
Simple ways to talk about heart health with your loved ones
Let’s examine some graceful ways to bring up heart health in conversation:
Begin with care
Discussions about heart health should never feel like police interrogations. Without proper tact, conversations that were started with the best of intentions can lead to arguments and hurt feelings.
It’s always best to begin your conversation with a word of compassion. Explain how and why you feel the need to speak to loved ones about their heart health, including how much you’re concerned for them.
If possible, have your heart health conversation in a private location. The last thing you want is for the person you’re talking to to feel exposed, vulnerable, or attacked, which can be more likely in a group setting.
Heart troubles don’t always appear in a vacuum. The link between the body and mind are increasingly well documented, with mental health and heart health clearly linked. When having a conversation about physical heart health, be sure to ask caring questions regarding their current headspace.
The more your family member, coworker, or friend recognizes your good intentions, the more receptive they’re likely to be to a legitimate conversation about how to improve cardiovascular health.
Provide physical support
It’s not enough to provide goodwill and kind intentions. If you’re serious about helping a loved one make lasting changes to their health and lifestyle, you’ll need to offer support in physical ways.
Ask what you can do to tangibly support their journey toward heart health. Preparing heart healthy meals together is an excellent place to begin, as well as being present during doctor’s appointments or virtual consultations.
Offer to help your loved one create a healthier space for themselves and their lifestyle choices. Depending on your relationship, you may want to explore exercise programs, health coaching, or consultations with a dietitian or nutritionist.
Some of the best support you can offer includes:
- Explaining the many possibilities of preventing heart disease
- Encouraging physical exercise in a fun and social manner
- Continuing to be available to listen
Your loved one is preparing to enter a complex and potentially life-altering journey to increase heart health. Partner with them for success by offering your support and assistance.
Discuss preventative actions
You rarely ‘see’ damage to the heart before it becomes critical. Any conversation around heart health is likely to mention this. However, the goal of a health conversation is not to point out perceived problems or symptoms, but rather to suggest actions that reverse or manage the heart’s current condition.
Personalize the discussion by addressing what you do to take care of your heart health. Examine how to make exercise a priority in your personal life, and explore other insights you might have for heart disease prevention
Depending on your loved one and their needs, you may also want to discuss potential support groups or functions.
It’s a good idea to gauge the comfort level of your loved one before providing a wealth of resources. Too much at once could lead to information overload – shutting down the conversation and ending the discussion on a sour note.
What to do if you can’t start the heart health conversation
Health related discussions are extremely challenging to facilitate. If you feel that you cannot initiate the conversation by yourself, it may be worth seeking outside support from other concerned groups. Friends and family members may be willing to start the conversation on your behalf, providing you with in-roads to discuss small steps for better heart health. If you’re more non-confrontational, writing a letter may be a more effective way to communicate.
There are multiple strategies for airing your concerns about a loved one’s heart health, but the best and most efficient way to start a meaningful conversation is to have a one-on-one consultation with an experienced heart health expert.
By speaking to a metabolic health coach or heart health specialist, you can discuss how to suggest or make changes that improve current heart health.
If you’d like to have such a call with me personally, I offer a free 15-minute telehealth call to evaluate current heart health and to discuss potential methods of starting a health conversation. This will provide simple, accessible, and straightforward goal planning that can set your loved one on a path toward feeling their best.