The heart is one of the very important organs of the body. Therefore, you need to know the steps for keeping your heart healthy and how to prevent heart diseases.
There are some risk factors of heart diseases such as age, family history or sex but even with these risk factors, there are still things which one could do to prevent the heart from diseases and keep it healthy. This articles how to prevent heart diseases.
7 Ways To Prevent Heart Diseases
1. Eating Healthy
As usual, the number one method of preventing diseases is eating healthy. This also includes prevention of heart diseases. You should always eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. Reduce your intake of foods that have high quantity of sodium and too much sugar. Most importantly, it is important to reduce or totally stop the intake of what is called trans fat. Trans fat is usually found in snacks, fast foods which are fried, margarines and baked products. You can read the composition on the pack of packaged food to check especially for “partially hydrogenated oils”.
We have written an article that covers foods for a healthy heart, read it to learn more.
2. Avoid smoking
Even the commercial adverts of cigarettes and other smoking items warns that people who use them risks dying young. However, smoking has become a bad habit that many people find difficult to stop. If you smoke, it is better you start seeking help to stop it right away.
Some of the oxygen in the blood is replaced by carbon monoxide which is present in smoke from cigarette, this reduces the quantity of oxygen circulating the body and it forces the heart to work more than it is supposed to, in order to provide enough oxygen needed by the body.
For those who do not smoke, it is also very important that you avoid inhaling smoke from tobacco or other sources.
3. Exercise Regularly
You can reduce the risk of getting a heart disease by performing regular exercises. Exercising at least thirty minutes a day can help you keep your weight and prevent other conditions that can affect the heart.
4. Sleep Well
Sleeping well does a lot to the body and it also benefits the heart. For an adult, seven to nine hours of sleep daily is recommended. If you wake up feeling unrefreshed or you find that you keep yawning throughout the day every time, it is a sign that you do not get enough sleep. If you have sleep apnea, it is important to see the doctor to treat the condition quickly.
5. Keep your weight healthy
People with obesity or too much weight have an increased risk of having a heart disease. Having too much weight can cause other conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes etc which in turn can cause heart diseases.
6. Reduce Alcohol
Too much of alcohol can increase the risks of high blood pressure which also increases risks of heart diseases. To prevent heart diseases, take very little alcohol or do not take alcohol at all.
7. Learn to manage stress
Spend time performing recreational activities and other methods of relieving yourself from stress. And for overcoming stress, do not go for the option of alcohol or smoke. You can practice activities such as listening to music, exercising, watching calm or inspirational videos.
8. Be careful of other risk factors
As previously mentioned, some other health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol levels etc could increase risks of getting the heart unhealthy. Do regular medical check ups and take your medications seriously if you have been previously diagnosed of the risk factor conditions.
There’s usually a greater risk of heart problems in women older than fifty-five and in men older than forty-five. You can still do your best to prevent heart diseases by following the tips given above. Before you go, make sure you read How to keep your brain healthy and prevent brain diseases
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