Your heart is, of course, one of the most vital organs in your body. How you live your life and look after your body will have a huge impact on the health of your heart. It’s easy to ignore the problems that you could face as a result of not living healthily. But by looking at the direct effect these unhealthy choices have on your heart, you can give yourself a wake-up call. There are some things that everyone should know about their heart and how to keep it beating as it should.
Having a healthy heart will make you less likely to suffer from heart disease in the future. Some problems are hereditary, and there’s nothing that you can do about them. But there are plenty of steps you can take to improve the health of your heart. Getting educated and learning about the threats that face your heart is the first thing to do though. That’s why you’ll find key information about common heart problems and heart disease below.
Once you know about the potential heart problems that you could face, you will need to understand which steps to take. In the information below, you will find lots of useful advice on how to make your lifestyle more conducive to strong heart health. So, start reading now to find out everything that you really need to know.
Information About Common Heart Problems and Heart Disease
You need to understand the different problems your heart could face in the future if you don’t look after it. Heart disease can come in many different forms. Coronary heart disease is the biggest killer when it comes to heart disease. It’s the result of poor health, and it occurs when the arteries become harder and narrower. This means that the heart is not able to pump blood around the body effectively. Feeling tired and experiencing a shortness of breath are common symptoms of this problem.
Heart attacks are the most commonly known heart problem. These are what many people fear. When blood clots around the plaque in your arteries, this is when a heart attack occurs. By making your heart healthier, you’ll be able to lower your risk of having a heart attack. This is something that will be looked at in more detail below. For people who do experience a heart attack, drugs can be prescribed to make it less likely to happen again.
An irregular heart beat is a problem that many people experience with their heart. This problem can sometimes be harmless, but it can be dangerous in other instances. It’s important to see a doctor if you feel a problem. It’s not something that is always noticeable. But you do sometimes feel a flutter or get the sensation that your heart missed a beat. These things should always be examined by a professional. One form of irregular heartbeat is atrial fibrillation. This problem makes you more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke in the future. You can learn more about it at www.abbottep.com.
The Importance of Exercise
One risk factor for heart disease is being overweight and inactive. Managing your weight better is essential if you want to help your heart and keep it healthy. If you’re used to not doing any exercise, it’s time for that to change. Even some extra walking, jogging or cycling will help you to increase your activity levels and maybe lose some weight. If you do want to lose weight, see your doctor and work out what a healthy weight would be for you.
It’s recommended that you do about two to three hours of moderate intensity exercise each week. This means that you only need to do about 30 minutes of exercise each day. So, whenever you get a bit of spare time, fit in some exercise and get active. It’s something that anyone can do if they make the effort. It doesn’t have to mean changing the way in which you live your life too much. So, don’t look for excuses any longer. Instead, get active and enjoy the exercise you do.
There are even small things you can do during the day that will reduce your risk of heart disease. Sitting down all day means that you are inactive and your heart will be damaged as a result. So, instead of barely moving throughout the day, find ways to get active. You could work at a standing desk, for example. Standing is always better than sitting from the perspective of your health and heart. You should also use your breaks as chances to get active and walk around.
Food That Should be a Part of Your Diet
Other than exercise, the other thing you need to focus on in order to improve your heart health is what you eat. Getting the simple things right is a good start. Focusing on things like fruit, vegetables, and whole grains is important because all those things are good for your heart. If you buy a lot of processed foods, you should remember to check the packet before buying. Look at the levels of fat, salt and sugar contained in the food. These are the things that you will need to limit.
The main thing you should focus on cutting down on is saturated fat. The problem with saturated fat is that it has the effect of increasing the levels of cholesterol in your blood. This then puts you at greater risk of suffering heart disease in the future. You can consume less saturated fat by choosing lean meat and buying dairy products that have reduced fat levels. If you consume less of this kind of fat, your heart will thank you for it, so make sure you remember this.
One thing that you should have more of in your diet is fiber. People who consume more fiber are much less likely to suffer heart disease. It keeps your heart healthy, and it’s good for your digestive system too. It’s easy to get more of this in your diet. You just need to eat more potatoes (without the skins removed), fruit and vegetables. Go to healthyeating.sfgate.com/fiber if you want to find out why fiber is good for your heart.
Stress Relief
When you get stressed, adrenaline is released in your body. This forces the heart to work harder, putting it under pressure. If this is something that happens to you on a consistent basis, your heart can be damaged, and you’ll be more susceptible to heart disease. Learning to deal with stress and how to avoid it in the first place can be very positive for your heart. Otherwise, your heart will continue to bear the brunt of your stressful life.
Doing more exercise can help you to relieve feelings of stress and pressure. It gives your body an outlet when you need it. But that alone won’t solve the problem if you feel under constant pressure and stress. Don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor about these things. It’s a legitimate medical problem, so you won’t be rejected by your doctor for talking about it with them. They’ll be able to tell you what steps to take in order to tackle the problem properly.
Stop Smoking and Drink Less Alcohol
It should come as no surprise to you that smoking makes you more likely to suffer heart disease. Smoking anything, whether it’s tobacco or marijuana, has a negative impact on your heart. If you are a smoker, the very best thing you can do for your heart is stop smoking. Coronary heart disease, for many people, is caused by years of smoking. So, see your doctor and create a plan for quitting smoking. It could be the best move you make for the good of your heart.
Drinking less alcohol is another thing that is good for your heart. Many people don’t realize that alcohol drinks contain lots of calories. So, if you improve your diet but carry on drinking a lot, you might not see the weight loss results you’d been hoping for. This is something for you to give some thought to if you’re not sure why you are not losing the weight you expected to.
Blood Pressure
If you have high blood pressure, your risk of heart disease increases. That’s why it’s something that you should be aware of. Having high blood pressure is often referred to as a silent killer. The reason for this is that high blood pressure has no symptoms. You can be suffering from this problem without even knowing about it. You should be sure to have your blood pressure checked regularly so that you can avoid this becoming a problem.
Doing things like losing weight and changing your diet can improve your blood pressure. Cutting excess salt from your diet is known to be particularly helpful. If you do find that you have high blood pressure and lifestyle changes don’t help the situation, your doctor can offer medication. This will lower your blood pressure and help to keep your heart healthy and better protected.
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