6 Suggestions To Prevent A Heart Disease
6 Suggestions To Prevent A Heart Disease
There are many steps people can take to try to prevent heart disease.
If a close relative is at risk of developing coronary heart disease from smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, lack of physical activity, obesity, and diabetes, then you could be at risk too. Fortunately here are 6 top tips you can try for a healthy heart.
1. Manage your stress levels
If you find things are getting on top of you, you may fail to eat properly, smoke, and drink too much and this may increase your risk of a heart attack.
2. Move your body
The heart is a muscle and it needs exercise to keep fit so that it can pump blood efficiently around your body with each heartbeat.
You should aim for 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a day. If this seems too daunting, start off gently and build up gradually. Keeping fit not only benefits your physical health – it improves your mental health and well-being too.
3. Recognize early signs of coronary disease
Tightness or discomfort in the chest, neck, arm, or stomach which comes on when you exert yourself but goes away with rest may be the first sign of angina, which can lead to a heart attack if left untreated.
4. Manage your weight
The number of people who are overweight in Britain is rising fast – already more than half of the adult population is overweight or obese.
Carrying a lot of extra weight as fat can greatly affect your health and increases the risk of life-threatening conditions such as coronary heart disease and diabetes. If you are overweight or obese, start by making small, but healthy changes to what you eat, and try to become more active.
5. Cut down on salt
Too much salt can cause high blood pressure, which increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease. Avoid foods like crisps, salted nuts, canned and packet soups and sauces, baked beans and canned vegetables, pork pies, pizzas, and ready meals. Many breakfast portions of cereal and bread that appear healthy also contain high levels of salt, so keep your eye on these too.
6. Check your blood pressure and cholesterol levels
The higher your blood pressure, the shorter your life expectancy. People with high blood pressure run a higher risk of having a stroke or a heart attack.
High levels of cholesterol in the blood – produced by the liver from saturated fats – can lead to fatty deposits in your coronary arteries that increase your risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and diseases that affect circulation. You can help lower your cholesterol level by exercising and eating high-fiber foods such as porridge, beans, pulses, lentils, nuts, fruits, and vegetables.