Heart disease is one of the most common health problems today. Heart diseases are frequently encountered in middle and older ages, due to a lifetime of developing unhealthy habits such as an unbalanced diet, irregular lifestyles, alcohol, and cigarette intake, and not meeting daily exercise needs.
Such habits reduce the quality of life of many people, short life expectancy and are an overal health risk.
Heart diseases occur at the same rate for both men and women. Early diagnosis is very important in the treatment of heart diseases and heart related illnesses. The incidence of cardiovascular diseases is especially high in women after the menopausal period.
Along with menopause, high blood pressure, and excess weight gain can also trigger heart diseases. The main causes of heart diseases are often linked to smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, as well as hypertension, high blood fats, and genetic heredity. In addition, a sedentary lifestyle and constant inactivity during the day are contributing factors in the progression of heart disease.
However, this not all bad news. There are many things you can do to improve your heart health. Making a few small changes to your daily routine can make a hughe difference. Here are 5 tips to protect your heart health.
1. Excercise Regularly
The heart is your body's pump, according to Sanul Corrielus, a cardiologist affiliated with Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, daily exercise will make a huge difference in protecting your heart health and here are some of the best for getting your heart pumping - in a good way!
A 1-hour walk or a light jog a day is a great way to get going and stay motivated throughout the day. As well as helping your heart health, walking and running help all other bodily functions run smoothly.
The more often you exercise and keep your body active, the healthier your heart will be. For this reason, people who exercise daily have a lower risk of developing heart disease in the future than those who do not.
Where most of us struggle when it comes to exercise, is getting started. However, if you start small and slow and focus on making it a habit, it will get easier. If develop healthy habits throughout your life, your physcial and heart health will be well protected.
Simple exercises such as walking and jogging play also support mental health and stave off stress, depression, and anxiety.
2. Eat Heart-Healthy Foods
When it comes to protecting your heart health, one of the most important things is to create a healthy nutritional diet.
Try to stay away from processed foods, salt, sugar, and trans fats. Adequate consumption of vegetables and fruits daily and a green-based diet is very heart-friendly.
Try to limit processed foods from supermarkets and takeaways, and opt for natural and organic foods as much as possible.
In addition, you should not consume much more than the number of calories you need daily, and if necessary, you should reduce the number of meals or meal portions if you tend to eat a lot in one sitting.
Eating has become much more than a necessity. Modern living means we have all the food we want, around the clock. Fast food-style eating habits are not natural to the body, which is causing unwanted illnesses and health complications.
Diets containing poultry and fish are much more beneficial in protecting your heart health than consuming red meat, espiecally burgers and other fried dishes.
In addition, choosing skim or semi-skimmed milk instead of full-fat milk takes the pressure off your system and helps to you achieve a healthier heart.
You can protect your heart health by eating a healthy diet and adhering to this diet regularly. Daily consumption of vegetables and fruits and avoiding foods such as fat, sugar, and salt will help you have a healthier life overall.
3. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Exercise and a healthy diet are essential for regulating your system. For this reason, it is equally important to stay at a healthy weight and maintain it.
You can maintain a healthy weight by eating the right foods, and exercising regularly. Obesity and some forms of diabetes are caused by unhealthy eating habits.
4. Stop Smoking and Vaping
Smoking is one of the most harmful factors for heart health, including passive smoking. Among the thousands of chemicals in cigarettes, carbon monoxide, arsenic, and tar are the most harmful.
Cigarettes cause serious and fatal damage to your heart, arteries, and lungs.
Most people believe that electronic cigarettes and vape products are a solution to quitting smoking. But the truth is that vape products are just as dangerous and harmful as cigarettes.
In such products, pure nicotine is available in liquid form instead of natural tobacco. In addition, the nicotine rate in electronic cigarettes is even higher than the nicotine rate in cigarettes.
Therefore, using vape products is almost the same as smoking, and they are very harmful to your heart health - vaping is not as regulated as smoking, so there are additional chemicals in them that currently have unknown effects on the body.
5. Get Regular Checkups
You should consult your doctor at least once a year and have a checkup, especially as you age and your heart naturally begins to slow down and become affected by wear and tear.
Generally, heart diseases can progress rapidly and appear suddenly. For this reason, having regular checkups can provide early diagnosis and treatment if you have a heart condition.
Hypertension, diabetes, and other heart diseases can be managed with an early diagnosis, the right lifestyle and medication prescribed by your doctor.
