Heart Health

The dos and don’ts of living a healthy life for your heart

Overview

Heart diseases are the number one cause of death in many countries.&nbsp;We all know someone in our circles who has or had a heart disease, or a really bad scare related to the condition of their heart. What has made this illness so serious and widespread?&nbsp;The answer is simple: our ‘modern’ lifestyle has made life more convenient, but in the process has also made us unhealthy.&nbsp;Heart issues were not as prevalent in previous generations due to those generations adopting a more active lifestyle. This, however, has been completely transformed in the new age of technology, digitisation and the ease with which we can access everything, including food, now.&nbsp; There’s still hope. We can live a modern lifestyle while also being healthy. Read on to find out how:&nbsp;

The Do's

<h4 style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"> </h4><h4 style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;">Nutritional food and supplements:</h4> A well-balanced diet is going to be your friend in targeting all kinds of problems, but we know that that maintaining one, purely through food, is not always possible.&nbsp;So, the easiest thing that you can do is to opt for supplements to make up for the nutrients that do not make it to your diet in concentrations required by our body.&nbsp;A Dash (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet — one rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium — may just provide all the guidelines that you may need to create a heart-healthy nutritional plan. You will need to consume ample fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans and nuts — the latter in limited quantities.&nbsp; Even with a healthy diet, you need to monitor your intake, count your calories, macros and nutrients.&nbsp;

Daily exercise

<h4 style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;">Daily Exercise:</h4> Exercise is the elixir of a healthy life. It can fix half of your potential health issues. Our bodies were created for work. This is the best kind of maintenance that your body can have. A good dose of physical activity not only gets your endorphins going but they also increase your stamina while improving your heart health and circulation.&nbsp;

Get enough sleep

<h4 style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;">Get enough sleep: </h4> This seemingly simple aspect of life can be very complex. Good sleep is not just limited to the number of hours you are getting but has a lot more to do with your REM (Rapid eye movement) cycle. A good duration of the REM cycle leaves you waking up well-rested. Improper sleep increases your risk of developing high blood pressure, mental health issues, trouble losing weight, diabetes and may even risk heart attack.

Stop Smoking

<h5 style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;"> </h5><h4 style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;">Say goodbye to smoking: </h4> Smoking is one of the leading causes of increasing heart issues. This is because the particles that enter your system with the smoke that you inhale tend to build up and form plaque in your blood vessels that may eventually lead to its blockage. However, the damage is not only done to smokers but also to the people who hang around smokers. Second-hand smoke is just as much of a culprit for causing heart diseases.

Maintain your health

<h4 style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;">Maintain your blood pressure and cholesterol levels:</h4> Certain levels of dietary restrictions will aid you in maintaining your blood pressure. This includes limiting your sodium intake. The maximum limit of sodium intake is 2,300mg (around one teaspoon) but an ideal amount for a lower sodium intake is an average of 1,500mg a day.Cholesterol is best targeted by reducing the intake of saturated fat in your diet and completely eradicating the consumption of trans fats. Saturated fats are mostly found in red meat and dairy products whereas trans fats are normally found in your vegetable oil, margarine or store-bought cookies. Another great way to control your cholesterol is through the intake of soluble fiber. It tends to reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream.

Reduce Stress

<h4 style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt;">Reduce stress: </h4> Stress has been the underlying reason for causing and worsening of many diseases. Heart diseases are greatly affected by increased stress levels. This can be combatted by breathing practices, ensuring that your teeth stay unclenched, relaxing your muscles through stretching, massaging etc. Determining your triggers and eliminating them is a great long-term approach for reducing your stress levels.Your heart health is heavily dependent on you. The biggest choice that you have to make is if you would transform your lifestyle or let your cardiologist do it for you in the form of restrictions. Your current healthy lifestyle decisions will not only reflect well on your heart health but will also have a vital impact on your mental wellbeing.&nbsp;

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