Even though heart disease is a primary cause of death, one’s final outcome is not predetermined. You may not be able to change certain risk factors, such as your family history, your gender, or your age; however, there are many things you can do to lower your risk of developing heart disease.
Seven heart health strategies:
Don’t smoke or use tobacco
Quit using cigarettes to help your heart. Avoid secondhand smoke if you don’t smoke. Nicotine harms the heart and blood arteries. Smoking reduces blood oxygen, which raises blood pressure and heart rate because the heart must work harder to oxygenate the body and brain.
A day after quitting, heart disease risk falls. Half the risk of heart disease after a year without cigarettes. No matter how much you smoked, stopping pays off.
Move! 30-60 minutes every day is recommended
Daily exercise minimizes the risk of heart disease. Exercise lowers weight. If you haven’t been active doing physical activities in a while, start with:
150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, such as brisk walking
• 75 minutes of cardio, such as running
• Weekly weight-lifting
Even short bouts of exercise are good for the heart. Housework, stairs, gardening, and dog walking all count. To see benefits, increase intensity, duration, and frequency.
Eat a heart-healthy diet
The diet helps protect the heart, decrease blood pressure and cholesterol, and avoid type 2 diabetes. Fruits and vegetables Lean meats and fish Low-fat or fat-free dairy Gluten-free Olive oil.
DASH and the Med diet are heart-healthy.
Cut:
• Sugar • Processed carbs Alcohol Saturated (red meat, full-fat dairy) and trans fats (found in fried fast food, chips, baked goods)
Stay slim
Fat around the middle increases heart disease risk. Obesity causes high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes, which enhances heart disease risk.
BMI measures obesity by height and weight. Being overweight is defined as a BMI of 25 or greater, which is connected to heart disease and stroke.
The waist circumference measures belly fat. Males: 40 inches (101.6 cm)
• 34″ (88.9 cm)
Weight loss helps. A 3% to 5% weight loss reduces blood lipids (triglycerides), blood sugar, and type 2 diabetes risk. More loss decreases BP and cholesterol.
Get rest
Poor sleep raises the risk of obesity, hypertension, heart attack, diabetes, and depression.
Many adults need seven hours of sleep. Rest well. Consistently go to bed and wake up A dark, quiet area helps you sleep.
If you’re getting enough sleep but feeling tired, ask your doctor about sleep apnea, which may increase your risk of heart disease. Loud snoring, stopped breathing, and gasping for air are OSA symptoms. If you’re overweight, you may need to reduce weight or utilize a CPAP machine.
Manage stress
Overeating, drinking, or smoking is bad methods to cope with stress. Managing stress with physical activity, relaxation methods, or meditation can enhance health.
Your doctor may prescribe medicines and suggest lifestyle changes for high cholesterol, hypertension, or diabetes. Follow your doctor’s orders and be healthy.