World Heart Day: Making Your Heart Healthier – It is celebrated every year on 29 September to raise awareness about the causes and prevention of cardiovascular diseases around the world. Heart disease is one of the major causes of death in India. So, it’s important to follow simple healthy steps to lower your risk of heart diseases.
World Heart Day: Making Your Heart Healthier – Here are a few steps to make your heart healthy:
A healthy diet and lifestyle is the key to fight cardiovascular disease. Following are four healthy habits that offer long-term benefits to your heart.
- Be active: Regular exercise is the best weapon against heart disease and other chronic conditions. For adults, the cardiac surgeon generally recommends two and a half hours of moderate-intensity exercise and two sessions of at least 30 minutes each of weekly resistance training.
- Keep watch on your weight: Obese people are at greater risk of heart disease. Hence, if you are overweight, should start losing weight. It will improve your blood pressure and blood sugar and ultimately lowers risk of heart diseases.
- Follow a healthy diet: Diet enriched in saturated fats, trans fat and cholesterol increase the risk of heart disease and related conditions, such as atherosclerosis. Add fruits and vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fat, lean protein (from beans, nuts, fish and poultry), and low-sodium herbs and spices to your diet. Avoid processed foods, salt, rapidly digested carbohydrates (from white bread, white rice, potatoes and the like), red meat and soda or other sugar-sweetened beverages.
- Avoid alcohol: Avoid alcohol consumption, which can raise your blood pressure.
World Heart Day: Making Your Heart Healthier- Five S’s to be remembered for a healthy heart
- Smoking: Smoking greatly increases your risk of heart disease. Hence quit tobacco consumption.
- Sitting: Avoid sitting too much. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, bike to work if that’s feasible or do sit-ups while watching TV.
- Sleep: Quality sleep is the key to a healthy life. 7 – 8 hours of sleep is required for adults. Sleep apnea can put you at risk of heart stroke.
- Stress: Prolonged stress causes many heart problems. For more information read the article: Does stress increase your risk of heart disease?
Try to manage your stress by meditation, prayer, contemplative walks or taking up hobbies like gardening, birdwatching, swimming or dancing.
- Salt: Excessive salt (sodium) can lead to high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease.
World Heart Day: Making Your Heart Healthier – Heart Caring Factors
- Healthy Diet: Consuming a balanced and heart-healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy products can help control weight, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure.
- Regular Physical Activity: Engaging in regular exercise is crucial for heart health. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week, along with muscle-strengthening activities.
- Maintaining a Healthy Weight: Being overweight or obese can increase the risk of heart disease. Adopting a healthy diet and staying physically active can help achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
- Not Smoking: Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease. Quitting smoking has immediate and long-term benefits for your heart and overall health.
- Limiting Alcohol Intake: Excessive alcohol consumption can contribute to high blood pressure and other heart-related issues. If you choose to drink, do so in moderation.
- Managing Stress: Chronic stress can negatively impact heart health. Find healthy ways to manage stress, such as exercise, meditation, deep breathing, or hobbies.
- Regular Health Check-ups: Regular medical check-ups can help monitor blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and other cardiovascular risk factors. Early detection and management of these factors can prevent heart problems.
- Adequate Sleep: Poor sleep quality and insufficient sleep can contribute to heart disease. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night.
- Controlling Blood Pressure: High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease. Lifestyle modifications, such as a healthy diet and regular exercise, along with medications if prescribed, can help control blood pressure.
- Managing Diabetes: If you have diabetes, it’s important to manage it effectively as uncontrolled diabetes can contribute to heart disease. This involves proper medication, diet, and lifestyle management.
Remember, individual health needs may vary, and it’s always advisable to consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice based on your specific health conditions and risk factors.
