Heart diseases account for more than 32% of all deaths worldwide. In Malaysia alone, 21 % of total deaths are due to coronary heart diseases and 17 % are from ischaemic heart diseases. These numbers are worrying as it does increase gradually year by year. Just like with any other disease, “prevention is better than cure”. To prevent one from getting a heart disease or lowering risk for this debilitating disease, a healthy lifestyle by exercising and practising healthy eating habits goes a long way than just protecting one from heart disease as it also nourishes the body in general. This is why it is vital to pay close attention to heart health. The question now is, how can you stay as heart healthy as possible?
Have you wondered why heart health seems like the best thing that could ever occur for you? Think of this, the heart never stops pumping along the 100 000 kilometres of blood vessels to supply blood and nutrients throughout the body. Imagine how hard the heart works in your life with no stops. Thus, it is best for you to stay heart healthy as possible as the heart health eventually relies on your way of living.
Without a functional heart, a person will be faced with a life-threatening condition. To prevent such episodes of heart disease, taking care of the heart is a must. There are many steps you can take aside from consuming Blackmores supplements to take control of your heart health to lead a much healthier and fulfilling life, this includes:
1- Eat a heart healthy diet. Eating food is not only important for providing energy for the body, but also to nourish it. A healthy diet for the heart consists of an abundance of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts. Avoid eating food high in salt and sodium such as processed food, canned and fast food. Avoid drinking or eating food high in sugar.
2- Be physically active. Make sure to do physical activity for at least a total of 150 minutes per week. Physical activity such as climbing stairs instead of taking the elevator, brisk walking while waking your pet, dancing, gardening or household chores.
3- Maintain healthy weight. If you are overweight or obese, you should try to lose some weight by practising good eating habits and exercising regularly. Excess weight can easily cause a person to be susceptible to heart disease and high blood pressure.
4- Avoid smoking. Substance in smoke or cigarettes has been proved to damage both heart and the blood vessels which increase the risk for getting a heart disease. Second-hand smoke should also be aware that these effects may also be affecting them.
5- Avoid alcohol. Drinking alcohol especially in excess has been known to be associated with many health conditions, including cardiovascular diseases. To fully protect the heart is to not drink any alcohol at all because there is no safe level of drinking alcohol that has been established or proven to be beneficial.
6- Have a good night sleep. Making sure you get enough sleep of 7-8 hours can help lowers the blood pressure and enable the body to heal or restore its health. Study shows that poor sleep leads to high blood pressure.
7- Less stress, more relaxation. Stress has been linked to increased risks for heart diseases. Managing your stress by practising relaxation and mindfulness not only helps your heart, but also helps improve your mental health. You can also watch funny movies or crack jokes with loved ones to help ease the tension.
8- Regular check-ups. The best way to have a healthy heart is by getting the blood pressure and blood sugar checked on a regular basis. It is important to get a medical check-up regularly as high blood pressure and blood sugar level may not exhibit any sign or symptoms. If you are diagnosed with hypertension or diabetes, you need to follow healthcare professional’s advice and be disciplined in taking the medicine provided.
Now that you know what to do to stay as heart healthy as possible, have you wondered what are signs that indicate your heart may be unhealthy? Signs such as chest pain, feeling dizzy or light-headedness, shortness of breath, fatigue, pain that spreads to the left arm, jaw pain and swelling of the lower limbs, are often the common signs of an unhealthy heart. It is necessary to get checked by doctors if there are signs of an unhealthy heart. It is worth noting that these signs are not definite for heart diseases and can be signs of other medical issues. There is no way of telling what is exactly going wrong without paying a visit to the doctor. At the very least, you should get an ECG test before leaving the doctor’s office or hospital when you have symptoms of an unhealthy heart.
Taking care of the heart does not only help the heart alone, but also for the whole body. The key to stay as heart healthy as possible is to be consistent with a healthy lifestyle that is basic and simple.