Contributed by – Healthians Team
A healthy heart means a healthy life yet most of us ignore our heart health. With 2 million heart attack cases in India in a year, heart attack kills 1 Indian every 33 seconds. This is undeniably alarming! Luckily there are preventive measures to keep your heart healthy, so that the beat goes on.
Following are few of the things, which can lower your risk of heart attack:
Cut back on stress
With today’s lifestyle, stress has become a part of our life. A demanding job, loads of bills to pay and a family who demands time and attention, we surely have a lot on our hands these days. Stress has slowly but surely crept into our lives, gradually consuming a major part of our day. With regular stress originates lot of health issues and out of these, heart problems are of a major concern. Hence it is very important to eliminate this stress from our life. Find ways to eliminate stress. Take breaks from work, nurture a hobby, watch movies, play some game or go for a massages. Take time out to be yourself. Go on vacations, weekend getaways, read, paint, dance, spend time with friends, go for walks, do yoga. The idea is to de-stress yourself and find peace in life. Remember, don’t take stress or it will take you!
Get going & moving
Adding exercise to our daily routine is essential for keeping the heart healthy. Doing minimum of 30 minutes of cardio activity three days per week is highly recommended. 30 minutes of daily, moderate activity will go a long way to protect your heart and your health. Try brisk walk, cleaning the house, dancing or lifting light weights. If you are overweight, losing weight should also be on your to-do list. Though, skipping a day or two of physical activity is safe, it should not set you back too much. The key is to make exercise a regular habit. So put on your sneakers and get going.
Healthy eating
A minimum of 5 servings of vegetables and fruits per day can help in having a healthy heart. Eating healthy fats that are plant based are heart friendly. Nuts, olive oil, and avocado are all good for your heart and helps in lowering the LDL cholesterol. Salmon and other types of fish, that are high in omega-3 fatty acids help in reducing the risk of heart attacks.
{Also Read: High Cholesterol? Know What Not to Eat! }
Say no to smoking
If you smoke, then it’s time to quit. Smoking is the single most reason for many health issues. It is not easy to suddenly stop smoking or avoid it, but by discontinuing this unhealthy habit, the lung capacity will improve, and the heart will get the oxygen it needs to stay healthy. This will also improve your HDL cholesterol level.
Cut the soda
Data has proved that the biggest soda drinkers are at a 20% higher risk for heart disease. It is important to cut the intake of soda or any other kind of sugar sweet beverage. These drinks can lead to an increase in the risk of gaining weight, as they are packed with a ton of calories. Their sugary sweetness can spark the sweet tooth and can cause a craving to eat other high-carbohydrate foods. Weight gain can lead to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
Regular health check-up
According to a recent WHO report, the 4 major metabolic risk factors responsible for the growing number of heart diseases are:
- Obesity
- Raised blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Raised blood cholesterol levels
Your family history and lifestyle pattern can increase your risk to develop these medical conditions. Only with regular monitoring of these parameters one can know the true status and start the correct medication. Your doctor may also order more tests. Indians in the age group 30-69 years are in the risk zone. So as you touch 30, get a diabetes health checkup and screening for cholesterol annually. If you are detected with any of these medical conditions, effective management of the disease is important. Follow the correct treatment as advised by the doctor and keep a check on your heart health.
Sleep well to live well
Last but not the least, a good night sleep is not only what we want, but what even our heart wants. Sleep provides body the much required rest. It has been seen that people who don’t get enough sleep are at greater risk for heart disease, which can possibly be due to its effects on the metabolism, blood pressure, and inflammation. So, if you love your heart, sleep well.
There is no guarantee that a person will never have a heart attack, but there are few things which can surely lower the risk. It is never too late to jump into a healthier lifestyle. Rather, the sooner you start, the better.
