There are several steps that people can take to prevent heart disease and other health conditions. The key to being heart healthy is to start living a healthy lifestyle. Concentrate on key lifestyle areas like exercise, smoking, drinking, and eating.
Here are ten tips for a healthy heart:
1. Quit smoking
If you want to live longer, you should stop smoking. Smokers are twice more likely to suffer from a heart attack than a non-smoker. However, from the moment you stop smoking, your risk of heart attack will start to reduce.
2. Reduce salt in your diet
As much as possible, cut down salt in your diet because it is one of the causes of high blood pressure that increases the risk of developing heart disease. A few examples of foods to avoid are salted nuts, canned soups, crisps, sauces, and ready-to-eat meals.
3. Monitor your diet
A healthy diet consisting of more fruits and veggies can help reduce the risk of developing heart problems. A healthy diet also increases your survival after a heart attack. Also include oily fish, pasta, rice, and starchy foods like wholegrain bread into your diet. Avoid foods that are high in sugar and saturated fats.
4. Reduce your alcohol intake
Too much alcohol could damage the heart muscle and shoot up your blood pressure. It can also lead to weight gain and increasing your risk of having a heart attack.
5. Be active
Exercise is one of the best prevention methods from heart problems and other health condition. Be active and engage yourself in physical activities. A good exercise allows the heart to pump blood efficiently.
6. Maintain your ideal weight
One of the biggest heart problems of people in the United States and in other parts of the world is obesity. The number of obese or overweight is rising fast. Obesity is one of the major causes of life-threatening diseases like coronary heart disease and diabetes. If you're obese or overweight, you can still start living a healthy lifestyle by starting to make small but healthy lifestyle changes. Eat a healthy and well-balanced diet and be active.
7. Blood pressure and cholesterol levels should be checked by your doctor.
If you have a high blood pressure, the shorter your life expectancy is. People who have high blood pressure also have a higher risk of suffering a stroke or a serious heart attack.
8. Manage your stress levels
If you are in too much stress, you fail to eat properly and you smoke and drink heavily. Thus, you may be at risk too.
9. Family history also plays a great factor
Thus, check your family history and find out if an immediate relative has a coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, is suffering from obesity, diabetes, and other health problems. If a relative has these health problems, then you can also be at risk.
10. Recognize the early signs of coronary heart disease
Discomfort or tightness in the chest, neck, arm, or stomach should never be ignored, especially when you notice that they don't go away with rest. These possible signs of angina could mean a heart attack waiting to happen if no actions are taken.
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