When it comes to your heart, it’s important to keep it healthy. We all know that smoking, drinking too much alcohol and eating a poor diet can damage your heart and increase your risk of a stroke or heart attack. If you want to give your heart the best possible chance of staying strong, then follow these simple tips:
Keep active
Active people have dramatically lower rates of heart disease. A recent large study from Denmark found that people who logged at least 2.5 hours of moderate exercise each week had a staggering 70% lower risk of heart disease compared to those who did not take part in regular exercise. The results of this study were so surprising that the research team behind it have now called for more studies to be conducted around the globe in order to confirm their findings. So, if you want to keep your heart healthy, then make sure you squeeze some activity into your day. This could mean walking to work, going for a run in the park, or even just changing your routine around and trying a different exercise programme.
Eat a balanced diet
It’s important to eat a healthy balanced diet if you want to avoid heart disease. A balanced diet includes healthy fats, protein, carbohydrates and fibre. Fats are important for maintaining your brain and nervous system. They also help with hormone regulation and stress relief. But too much fat in your diet can increase your risk of heart disease. It is best to consume healthy fats such as those found in nuts, seeds, avocado, olives and fish instead of the saturated fats found in meat, biscuits and fatty dairy products. Protein is important for building and repairing tissues in your body. It can also be used to make hormones and enzymes. But too much protein in your diet can also increase your risk of heart disease by causing your blood levels of salt and water to rise, making you more likely to have a stroke or heart attack. Healthy carbs are important too and can help you to lose weight and maintain healthy blood pressure. But too many carbs in your diet can cause your blood pressure to rise, increasing your risk of having a heart attack. It is best to choose wholegrain carbs such as brown rice, pulses, wholegrain bread and potatoes instead of refined ones high in sugar. Fibre is important for keeping your digestive system healthy and it can also be used to ‘feed’ your bowel when you are on a low fibre diet such as for a period of time. But too much fibre in your diet can cause dehydration and can also increase your risk of developing certain types of cancers.
Don’t smoke
If you smoke, you may already be aware of the fact that you are increasing your risk of heart disease. This is because the tar in cigarettes can be toxic to the heart. If you smoke, it’s important to quit as soon as possible. Quitting could be the most important thing you do to prevent heart disease. If you can’t or don’t want to quit, then you could try to cut down the number of cigarettes you smoke. You could also talk to your doctor about using medication to help you stop. There are some non-medication options that could help you quit smoking. These include using a nicotine replacement product such as gum, inhaler or patches, or using apps that help you to track your daily cravings for nicotine.
Stay safe when exercising
If you want to stay healthy, it’s important to take care when you exercise. This means making sure that you don’t over-exercise, don’t push yourself too hard and don’t take part in dangerous sports such as boxing and rugby. Over-exercising can lead to overtraining, a condition that occurs when your body becomes used to the demands of intense exercise, making you more likely to have a heart attack or stroke. It’s also important to stay hydrated while you are exercising, especially if you are doing high-intensity or endurance activities. Water helps to keep your body functioning properly, regulates your body temperature and helps to control the urge to urinate. If you don’t drink enough water while exercising, you could become dehydrated and end up pushing yourself harder, which is dangerous as well.
Conclusion
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of mortality in the world today. If you want to keep your heart healthy and strong, then it’s important to follow these simple tips. The best way to prevent a heart attack is to keep your body as healthy as possible by eating a healthy diet and getting enough exercise. If you can do these things, then you will greatly reduce your risk of developing heart disease.