Following a healthy and active lifestyle at any age can help you avoid heart disease and reduce your chances of having a heart attack. Fortunately, taking care of your heart can start at any age, whether you are elderly or young. The earlier you start making healthy choices for your cardiovascular health, the longer you’ll be able to reap the advantages of those decisions.
However, suppose you are already experiencing a cardiac problem. In that case, you must make an extra effort to be cautious and avoid bad habits to improve your general health and well-being. Healthy eating habits and physical activity are two of the most effective ways to promote heart health.
Road to Better Health
You have direct control over several factors that can affect your heart’s health. It is entirely up to you to decide how seriously you will take this obligation. Several people find it simple to live a healthy lifestyle, which often leads to a healthy heart. In contrast, others struggle and are subsequently diagnosed with an indication of heart diseases, such as high blood pressure or cholesterol, resulting from poor heart health.
The following are the daily activities that you should perform to keep your heart functioning well. By incorporating these practices into your lifestyle, you can ensure that your heart health is optimal.
Consume Good Fats, NOT Trans Fats
Our diets must contain fats, including saturated, polyunsaturated, and unsaturated fats. However, a type of fat we do not require is trans fat, which can significantly raise your lifetime risk of heart disease. This is because trans fat clogs the arteries by increasing bad cholesterol and decreasing the quantity of good cholesterol.
Take Adequate Rest
Sleep is critical for maintaining a healthy heart. If you do not get enough sleep, regardless of your age or other health behaviors, you may be at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Individuals who slept less than six hours per night have approximately twice the risk of having a heart attack compared to those who slept six to eight hours each night.
Heart-Healthy Foods
Cardiovascular diseases are responsible for almost one-third of all fatalities globally. Diet has a significant impact on heart health and can influence your risk of developing heart disease. Certain foods can affect blood pressure, triglyceride levels, and cholesterol levels, which are risk factors for heart disease.
The following are some foods that you should consume to help maintain a healthy heart.
Green Leafy Veggies
Green leafy vegetables are well-known for their vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Additionally, they are high in dietary nitrates, which have been demonstrated to reduce arterial stiffness, lower blood pressure, and increase the function of blood vessels.
It’s discovered that there’s a correlation between increasing your leafy green vegetable intake and a decreased risk of heart disease. According to a study, increased leafy green vegetable consumption was associated with a reduction in the risk of heart disease of up to 16%.
Fish Oils and Fatty Fishes
Fish high in Omega-3 have been widely examined for their heart-health advantages. A study discovered that long-term consumption of fish was associated with lower cholesterol levels, fasting blood sugar, blood triglycerides, and systolic blood pressure.
It shows that those who consume dietary sources of fish oil have a lower risk of dying from heart disease. Regular consumption has shown beneficial effects on the heart.
But if you do not consume a lot of seafood, fish oils are another way to meet your daily omega-3 fatty acid needs. Fish oil supplements are available in three different forms: liquid, capsule, and tablet. It’s popular because of its anti-inflammatory properties.
Supplementing fish oil has been demonstrated to lower blood triglycerides, improve vascular function, and lower blood pressure. Alternative Omega-3 supplements, such as krill oil or algal oil, are also widely used nowadays.
You can obtain these Omega-3 alternatives from your local pharmacy. If budget is the concern, there are money-saving alternatives you can resort to. For instance, discount coupons, cards, and apps. These discounts are mostly applicable for prescribed medicines. The good thing though, is that if you can save money on medicines, you can allocate a budget for food supplements.
Take your cue from BuzzRx discount company. It’s a popular go-to source for many people with high-maintenance costs for medicines. Also, BuzzRx has an awesome app that provides you with up to 80% savings on prescription costs. This includes supplements and medications, which may qualify for discounts if accompanied by a physician’s prescription and signed by a pharmacist.
Heart-Healthy Exercise
Damages caused by high total cholesterol and increased blood pressure can lead to cardiovascular disease. Fortunately, exercise is one of the most effective tools at your disposal.
Regular exercise is essential for maintaining good cardiovascular health. It also helps improve your heart health, maintain a healthy weight, and avoid arterial problems.
Aerobic Exercises
Aerobic exercise enhances circulation, which results in decreased blood pressure and heart rate due to the activity. Aside from that, it helps to improve your general aerobic fitness and improves your cardiac output (how well your heart pumps).
Aerobic exercise also lowers the chance of developing diabetes and can help you maintain better control over your blood glucose levels.
Resistance Training
Resistance training has a more targeted effect on body composition. It can help build lean muscle mass, which helps avoid a developing risk factor for heart disease. This regimen often results in weight loss.
According to a study, combining aerobic and resistance exercise may help improve the body’s good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol.
Final Thoughts
The relation between nutrition and heart disease is becoming more and more compelling as new research is uncovered. What you put on your plate can have an impact on almost every element of your heart’s well-being.
The consumption of heart-healthy foods as part of a nutritious, well-balanced diet, as well as participation in heart-healthy exercises, can help keep your heart in excellent condition and reduce your risk of heart disease.
