One of the most serious medical conditions known to Americans (and all over the world) is heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death in our country. Although that is a known fact, many people still go around, unaware of how to prevent heart conditions that can possibly end their life in just a snap of a finger.
Due to the non-modifiable factors that come into play, everyone can be at risk of experiencing a heart disease at some point. One example of a non-modifiable factor is genetics. Heart disease doesn’t just happen because of poor lifestyle choices. When genes come into play, it almost always becomes the determinant whether you live longer or not.
Choices, as mentioned above, is considered a modifiable factor in preventing heart failure. The earlier the start, the earlier you prevent it from happening. And if genes come into play, then at least you prevent the early onset of heart conditions that you might have faced. Remember, your choices influence how your heart will be 10 to 15 or more years from now.
If you smoke, quit now! Smoking is one of the leading modifiable factors that causes heart attack, stroke and other coronary diseases. Smoking has a very unfavorable effect of increasing your triglycerides (bad fat) which causes fat buildup in your arteries.
When this happens, plaque occurs and the arteries will harden causing atherosclerosis. This condition is usually difficult to correct as the buildup tends to calcify over time. Smoking also affect other organs causing your body’s functionalities to go haywire.
Mind your diet as it plays a big role in keeping a healthy heart. We already know that sugars won’t do any good and should be avoided at all cost. A diet that essentially contains less fat is favored including raw fruits and vegetables, omega-3 fatty acids from fish, fiber or whole grains can keep your weight at bay and prevent heart disease.
A diet that often involves fish is the most favored eating plan you need to eat. Nuts, herbs, and healthy oils are also good produce to incorporate in your diet.
Manage your weight so that you maintain low blood pressure. Experts recommend to practice at least 30 minutes of workout every single day. You don’t need to sign up to a gym membership right then and there.
The point of this is to keep an active lifestyle in order to avoid any sudden weight gain. Another way of maintaining a healthy weight is knowing the number of calories you need in a day. If you lean towards a more sedentary lifestyle, reduce your food intake to the required number of calories your slightly inactive body needs.
Does your family have a history of diabetes? If so, you need to start managing your health right now. Diabetes is not just the impairment of your body to comprehend insulin, it also complicates your entire body thereby risking you of other organ failure. If left untreated, type 2 diabetes will almost always lead to stroke or a peripheral artery disease.
Stress can cause multiple different ways in affecting your health. People who experience stress tend to be the victims of heart conditions due to their inability to support a healthy lifestyle.
The sleep loss, headaches, body fatigue and exhaustion brought by stress force your heart to work extra hard. If this isn’t compensated, your coronary system will become overworked and the risk of other heart diseases are right around the corner.
Adopting stress-reducing habits and a healthy lifestyle helps rally your heart health. Exercising is one of the best ways in reducing stress as it promotes the release of feel-good hormones. Meditation and eating right can also benefit the body more than you think.