Taking Care of Your Heart to Live Longer

There are almost 18 million people around the world that die due to cardiovascular diseases every year. This number keeps increasing as people don’t adhere to a healthy lifestyle. Cardiovascular diseases are a bevy of various diseases related to your blood vessels and heart, such as heart disease, ischemia, cerebrovascular disease, heart enlargement, and coronary heart disease. Four of five individuals who succumbed to cardiovascular diseases are caused by stroke and heart attack. About one-third of those who died of CVDs belong to people who are under 70 years old.

Risk Factors of Heart Diseases

Behavioral risk factors are viewed by health experts as the culprit in the development of heart conditions. The effects manifest in people as they start the age of 40 and above, which usually begins with high cholesterol, increased blood pressure, increased blood lipids, increased blood glucose, overweight, and obesity. The risk factors are gauged in doctor’s clinic and primary care facilities. Health practitioners will prescribe medications to prevent the development of hypertension, heart failure, and stroke. The behavioral risk factors that strongly affect your heart health and other health conditions include alcohol consumption, sedentary lifestyle, tobacco use, and an unhealthy diet. You may find it hard to remove cigarettes and alcohol in your system even if you are aware of their ill-effects to your health. The behavioral risk factors can be avoided by making the right choices that can reverse an existing condition or prevent its onset.

Take a look at the tips on how to reverse and prevent heart diseases:

• Watch what you eat. Stroke and heart attack can happen to anyone, regardless of your age. Choose a healthy diet that is low in sodium, trans fat, saturated fats, additives, and artificial sweeteners. Always add a portion of fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes to your plate. Eat protein from fish like salmon, mackerel, and tuna as they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that are good for your heart. If possible, avoid eating red meat and meat products like bacon, ham, sausages, bologna as they are high in fat and sodium. If you like meat, choose lean meat and skinless poultry.
• Sweat it out. Start your day with a physical activity like walking to the park, biking, and jogging. Sweating out in whatever form keeps your heart healthy by increasing your heart rate. Spend 150 minutes of brisk walking for moderate intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic exercise like jogging and running every week. You can also combine both activities every week.
• Stop smoking. Puffing cigarettes is not only damaging to your heart; it can cause several diseases like emphysema, cancer, and health complications. Passive smokers cannot also escape the wrath of secondhand smoke. It is time to cease smoking to prevent heart diseases.
• Keep your mind sane. Stress lurks in the dark and its long-term presence in your life can lead to irregular heart rate, blood pressure, and even cancer. Learn to relax and engage in worthwhile activities with family, friends or neighbors to keep your mind sane. When you find life is too harsh on you, try deep breathing to release your worries and fears.
• Get enough ZZZZ’s. Sleep deprivation causes stress in both mind and body. If you’ve been awake at night, it can take a toll on your mental health and heart health. It leads to nervousness, palpitations, headache, fatigue, and increases blood pressure. Drink a glass of low-fat milk before bedtime, and turn off electrical gadgets an hour before sleeping. Take a lukewarm water bath for a comfortable sleep.
• Have a regular checkup. A regular visit to your doctor’s clinic is advisable if you have telltale signs of heart problems and even if you don’t have, especially if you are now in your 40s. By having a regular ECG and wellness exams, you can have the peace of mind knowing that your heart health is in the pink of health. Discuss with your cardiologist or physician about your lifestyle, diet, and behavioral risk factors. Your doctor may prescribe you some food supplementation for your heart health.

The Bottom Line

Your age does not measure and determine your health status. More young people are now getting obese and hypertensive as they love to order instant food through an online food delivery app, and they are hooked on their gadgets. By following a healthy diet, adapting an exercise regimen, managing stress and other helpful tips there is less likely that you will develop cardiovascular diseases.