By: Nathan Bradshaw
Coronary illness is the number 1 cause of death in United States, stroke is number 5. Risk of heart disease is affected by many factors including being overweight, malnutrition, smoking cigarettes, stress, high blood pressure, and lack of physical activity. Prevention measures and treatments can reduce the risk of heart disease, and your lifestyle choices are your best means of protection against coronary illness and stroke. A healthy lifestyle includes any and everything that helps maintain a strong and healthy heart; some major examples are outlined below.
Quit Smoking:
This is one of the best steps you can take to lower your chances of heart problems. One in every five deaths in the United States each year are due to smoking. Cigarettes are a leading cause of cardiovascular disease, often leading to heart attack and stroke. It doubles your chances of having a heart attack and increases the likelihood of death by 70 percent. The bottom line is that if smoking was to be banned, risk of heart attack and stroke would be reduced by 50 percent.
Maintain a Healthy Weight:
For every 1% reduction in cholesterol, the chance of heart attack is reduced by 2-3 percent. Being overweight leads to high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes which greatly increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. BMI (Body Mass Index) is the one of best ways to calculate your healthy weight level, it describes whether or not you have a healthy body fat percentage by considering your height and weight. In order to achieve a healthy BMI, consume low-fat foods and divert your dietary focus to fruits and vegetables. Vitamins and fiber are also beneficial, you can get them from vegetables like carrots, green beans, cabbage, etc.
Exercise:
There are very few diseases that exercise doesn’t help prevent. Regular exercise will support you in maintaining healthy blood pressure, keeping your heart strong and blood vessels in good condition. Moreover, it will help you maintain a healthy weight. Walking, swimming and cycling are often recommended by doctors; people who have had heart attacks in the past can consult with their doctors for recommended exercises requiring less effort, such as pushups, sit ups, etc.
Reduce Stress:
Stress is the one of the leading causes of heart attack, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and sudden death. There are many options that can help you to manage your stress levels such as: daily exercise, yoga, proper sleep, socializing, positive thinking, meditation, and maintaining a healthy diet. Also try to avoid environments, situations, and people who make you feel agitated or angry.
Proper Sleep:
Better sleep reduces levels of cardinal-cortex hormones, lowering your risk of catecholamine disorders and stroke. The heart is adversely affected when you don’t get enough sleep, but too much sleep can also be harmful to the body. Several studies suggest that sleeping for an average of seven hours per night is enough for a healthy lifestyle. Slower metabolism and difficulty losing weight tends to occur more frequently with those people who don’t follow a continuous pattern of sleep. Good quality sleep helps keep blood pressure under control and decreases stress on your heart and body.
Monitor Your Blood Pressure:
High blood pressure is a major cause of stroke. It also increases the risk of kidney failure, eye damage, heart failure, and atherosclerosis. Moreover, hypertension can lead to several types of heart disease. Going for power walks, lowering salt consumption, drinking more tea and less alcohol, eating more fruits and vegetables, and managing your weight will help maintain healthy blood pressure.
Consider Statins:
If your cholesterol does not improve, consider taking statins. According to a recent study, as many as half of all Americans should be taking statins due to imbalance of their cholesterol. For people with coronary heart disease, statins are the first line of treatment. Statins will not only lower cholesterol levels, they also strengthen blood vessels and reduce inflammation to prevent blood platelets from clumping together.
Ask for Low Dose Aspirin:
Before the age of 65, Aspirin plays a more effective role in reducing the risk of heart attack in men, and risk of stroke in women. Aspirin has some probable side effects, most notably gastrointestinal bleeding. Consult with your doctor about the risks and benefits before starting aspirin therapy.
See your doctor if you’re feeling anything unusual, like shortness of breath or extreme fatigue. Sit up if you experience pain in your jaw or back, nausea, sweating, or flu-like symptoms.
Author Bio:
Nathan Bradshaw is an expert marketer who specializes in promoting and growing physician practices. He currently works with UrgentWay to help improve their online footprint and garner interest in their Urgent Care, Occupational Health, and Health Services.
photo credit* www.womenfitness.net