Undoubtedly, everyone must agree that heart care needs to be a priority. But how you can care for your heart and in what ways you can improve its health are the real questions. In most situations preventing heart diseases is quite possible with proper care.
Your heart is, of course, amongst the most vital organs of your body. The proper functioning of your heart is necessary if you wish to live a healthy and long life. So, caring for your heart means trying to live a better and fuller life and improving your longevity.
Returning to how you can care for your heart and prevent cardiovascular diseases, here are a few self-care tips.
Keep your weight in check
source: hopkinsmedicine.org
Obesity can jeopardize your heart health immensely by leading to issues like high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. All these conditions lead to heart diseases. Apart from increasing the cholesterol level in the body, it decreases the level of good high-density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol. Obesity can reduce the good cholesterol that fights against the bad cholesterol that, in turn, causes heart diseases. So, start by keeping your weight in check.
Regularly visit your doctor for a heart check-up
The saying that prevention is better than cure never becomes irrelevant. So, before you wait for anything to happen, have regular medical appointments and consult your doctor about your heart health. Various outpatient settings provide immediate services to patients with cardiac and pulmonary issues. For those who do not know, there are generally two types of services, outpatient and inpatient care, that hospitals provide: out patient meaning the patient does not need to stay in the medical facility overnight, while inpatient is when the person needs to be admitted and treated. So, often non-emergency patients receive outpatient care services.
Reduce stress triggers from your environment
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Stress is a culprit in most diseases. In the case of heart health, stress leads to high blood pressure, which immensely increases the risk of a heart attack. Studies have also shown that high and persistent stress increases blood cholesterol, blood sugar, and triglycerides. Often stress causes changes in the body that leads to plaque buildup in heart arteries. Therefore, reduce triggers from your surroundings that cause stress. For instance, if your workplace is full of stress, try switching jobs. If it is not possible, think about strategies such as relaxation techniques that reduce stress.
Stay active during the day
Inactivity can be detrimental to your heart. Therefore, add healthy physical activity to your daily routine. You can choose any form of physical activity: hitting the gym for a full session, jogging in the morning, walking in the evening, cycling, swimming, or dancing.
Some people feel exhilarated with cardio and aerobics—both positively affect your heart health. These activities increase the heart rate and improve cardiorespiratory fitness. The American Heart Association endorses 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity or 150 minutes of physical activity every week.
Avoid smoking
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There are ample studies to associate smoking with lung cancers and other renal issues, but did you know smoking harms your heart too? Smoking damages your blood vessels. As a result, they cannot withstand blood pressure. Quitting smoking can reduce the risk of another heart attack by 50% once you already have one. With time quitting also reduces the risk of blood clot formation and atherosclerosis.
Reduce alcohol consumption
Excessive alcohol intake is unhealthy for your heart. It increases blood pressure and causes irregular heart rhythms. Too much drinking leads to high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, or even Cardiomyopathy, a disorder that affects heart muscles, reducing their ability to pump blood around the body effectively.
The condition is more common among men between 35 and 50 of age. But many women are affected by this disorder too. For men, heavy drinking means more than four drinks a day and going beyond 14 drinks per week. For women, it is even less—excessive drinking means three drinks per day and more than seven drinks in one week.
Add more fish to your diet
Adding fish to your diet is very beneficial for your heart health. Fish, including sardines, salmon, fresh tuna, pilchards, etc., are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids that are good for your health. Omega-3 works wonders to keep your cholesterol level in check. If you are a vegetarian, there are healthier alternatives for you too. You can get Omega-3 fats from walnuts, spinach, flaxseeds, soy, canola oil, wheat germ, pumpkin, etc.
Don’t be neglectful about your sleep
source: everydayhealth.com
Sleep is highly essential for maintaining your heart health. A good night’s sleep lowers blood pressure levels and unleashes your body’s natural repair mechanism. On the contrary, improper sleep means your blood pressure does not drop—we already know that high blood pressure causes heart diseases.
Without ample sleep, people do not spend sufficient time in the deep stages of NREM (non-rapid eye movement), which is good for heart health. This is why people with sleep Apnea develop issues related to their heart because their sleep is frequently disrupted. Therefore, getting seven to eight hours of sleep every night is essential.
Spend time with your friends and laugh more
Laughing is good for your heart. And, spending time with your loved ones and friends gives you more chances to laugh and be happy. So, make plans with your friends, watch a funny movie, crack jokes, share memes or do whatever you like. Laughing reduces inflammation, increases feel-good hormone production, and increases the levels of good cholesterol in your body.
Improve your dental hygiene
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Our body is a web of complicated systems and organs. Taking care of one part of the body often has positive effects on other parts too. For instance, your dental hygiene is related to your heart health. Poor dental hygiene leads to bacteria formation, which reaches the heart through blood streams and poorly impacts its health. According to a study, brushing your teeth twice a day reduces the occurrence of heart diseases.
Conclusion
Ensuring the health of your heart means ensuring a happy and long life. The healthier your lifestyle, the healthier your heart. Try to adopt a healthy lifestyle so your body can defend itself against diseases and illnesses. Make sure you exercise enough and follow these tips mentioned above.
