While heart disease kills more men and women than any other disease in developed countries, it turns out there’s a lot which one can do to keep the heart healthy.
We have learned a tremendous amount in recent years about the risk factors that predispose us to heart disease. One of the important things we have learned is that each of us has significant control over most of these risk factors. And therefore, to a large extent, each of us holds our cardiac fate in our own hands. Even people who have strong a genetic predisposition to heart disease can often significantly delay the onset of heart problems by adopting healthy lifestyles.
Heart health is as important as ever. Over the past few decades, we’ve sifted through the top medical research to determine the most important steps you can take to keep your heart in tiptop shape.
We suggest adopting one of the following tips every two weeks so you can slowly build healthier habits. Each one can be done in under two hours and can add years to your life.
- GET OMEGA 3s
The list of benefits from omega-3 fatty acids keeps going and going and going. These anti-inflammatory oils are crucial for long term heart diseases. Doctors recommend the three-by-three rule: three 3-ounce servings a week of salmon or trout. And make sure you get 900 mg of omega-3s a day through diet or supplements.
- CUT DOWN ON SALT
If one has a diet high in salt, it’s likely that the blood pressure could be high too – which means the person have an increased risk of suffering from heart disease or stroke. The recommended maximum daily intake of salt is just 6g for adults and 3g for children (2.5g of salt is the equivalent of 1g of sodium). Cut down by trying not to use any salt at all at the table and reducing how much you use in cooking. Also, keep an eye on food labels to check how much salt you’re eating in processed foods (foods with more than 1.5g salt or 0.6g sodium per 100g are high, so avoid them wherever possible).
- EAT LESS SUGAR
Too much sugar in diet could lead to weight gain, which can raise the blood pressure and lead to diabetes and heart disease. If one has a sweet tooth and can’t give up sugar altogether, simply have fresh fruit with yoghurt instead of sweetened puddings and cakes.
- QUIT SMOKING
Smoking is one of the main causes of cardiovascular disease, and smokers are almost twice as likely to have a heart attack compared with those who have never smoked. It not only damages the lining of your arteries but reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood and raises your blood pressure.
- CUT BACK ON ALCOHOL
Alcohol can affect your heart by causing high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms and damage to the heart muscle. But you don’t have to give it up completely. Just stick to current guidelines for moderate alcohol drinking, which are two to three units a day for women and three to four for men.
A healthy heart is an important aspect of one’s healthy state. Health of a body can only be determined by a healthy working heart and hence the heart needs to be taken care of.
