10 Lifestyle things for a healthy heart
A healthy life = a healthier heart. Check out these 10 things you can do to take care of your heart
1. Quit smoking
If you are a smoker, quit. It’s the best thing you can do for your heart health. Smoking is known to be one of the main causes of heart disease.
Just one year after you quit, your risk of heart attack drops to about half that of a smoker.
2. Be active
Staying active can reduce your chances of developing heart disease. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week or about 30 minutes of aerobic activity five days a week.
3. Manage your weight
Being overweight can increase your risk of heart disease. Stick to a balanced diet that is low in fat and sugar, with lots of fruits and vegetables. 4. Consume a lot of fiber
4. Include Fiber in your diet
Eat at least 30g of fibre per day to help reduce the risk of heart disease. Fibre can be found in different forms, from oatmeal bread and whole grains to potatoes with skin and, of course, many fruits and vegetables.
5. Reduce saturated fat
Cholesterol levels in your blood increase when your diet is high in saturated fat. Choose lean meats and low-fat dairy products such as 1% fat milk. 6. Get your 5 a day
6. Eat fruits
Eat at least five portions of a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. They are a good source of fibre, vitamins and minerals.
7. Reduce salt
To maintain high blood pressure, avoid using too much salt when cooking or eating. Also, remember to be careful about healthy foods that are high in salt. You can know more salt by checking food labels – a food is high in salt if it has more than 1.5g of salt (or 0.6g of sodium) per 100g.
Aim to eat less than 6 grams of salt per day, or about a teaspoon.
8. Eat fish
Eat fish at least twice a week, including oily fish (such as mackerel, fresh tuna, sardines, and salmon). They are also a good idea of Ameregates, fat, that can help protect malicious health.
9. Drink less alcohol
Remember that alcohol has calories! If you regularly drink more than the NHS guidelines, you will notice the effect on your waistline. Try to stick to the recommended amount of alcohol per day to reduce your risk of serious health problems, including risks to your heart health.
10. Nuts and seeds and nuts
By eating a mixture of fruits without salt for a snack (and for a small amount), you add healthy fats to your diet, which helps you stay longer and lowers your cholesterol levels. .
3 types of exercises for the healthy heart
Exercise is the key to a healthy heart. It is one of your most effective tools for strengthening the heart muscle, keeping your weight in check and preventing muscle damage from high cholesterol, high blood sugar and high blood pressure that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. is a stroke. women stretch before riding a bike
It is also true that various forms of exercise are necessary to ensure overall health. “Aerobic exercise and resistance training are the most important things for heart health,” says Kerry J., a cardiologist at Johns Hopkins. Stewart, Ed.D. “Although flexibility does not contribute to heart health directly, it is important because it provides a good foundation to make exercise and strength more effective.”
Here’s how different types of exercise can benefit you.
Aerobic exercise
What it does: Aerobic exercise improves circulation, which leads to lower blood pressure and heart rate, Stewart says. In addition, it increases your overall cardiorespiratory fitness, as measured by a treadmill test, for example, it helps your cardiac output (your heart’s pumping ability). Aerobic exercise reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, and if you suffer from diabetes, helps you control your blood sugar. How much: Small, at least 30 minutes a day, at least five days a week.
Examples: Brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling, tennis and jumping rope. Aerobic exercise that gets your heart pumping is what doctors have in mind when they recommend at least 150 minutes a week of moderate activity.
Resistance training (strength work)
What it does: Resistance training has a specific effect on the body, Stewart says. For those who carry a lot of body fat (including obesity, which is a risk factor for heart disease), it can help lose fat and build muscle mass. Research shows that a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training can help increase HDL (good) cholesterol and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. How much: At least two odd days per week of resistance training is a good rule of thumb, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.
Example: Free training (such as dumbbells, dumbbells, or dumbbells), with weight machines, resistance bands, or by resisting the body, such as push-ups, squats and pull- up.
Stretching and Balancing
What they do: Moderate exercise, such as stretching, does not contribute to heart health. What they do is the musculoskeletal system, which helps you maintain flexibility and freedom from joint pain, cramping and other muscular issues. This change is important to continue exercise and resistance and resistance, Stewart.
He said, “If you have a real estate meshless, it allows you to make the party helping your heart.” As a bonus, flexibility in exercise helps maintain stability and prevent falls, which can cause injuries that prevent other types of exercise.
How much: daily and before and after other exercises. For example: Your doctor may recommend basic exercises that you can do at home, or you may find a DVD or YouTube video to follow (but check with your doctor if you’re concerned about the exercises strength). Tai chi and yoga improve these skills, and classes are available in many cities.
Practical Tips for improving diet and incorporating more exercises
Diet tips for better heart health
Many patients question whether they should follow a certain diet. The foods I recommend are the only two that have research-backed evidence to prevent heart disease:
the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, which emphasizes fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and salted or unsalted nuts.
The Mediterranean diet, which favours vegetarian fats, such as olive oil, some fish, and lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
But you don’t have to go into solid food for a long time. Start with these five healthy changes to establish happy eating habits.
Add – don’t remove.
Instead of trying to cut out all the sweets in your diet, start by adding a few fruits and vegetables to your plate at every meal. Nutritious foods can lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and the crunch, flavour, and fibre can start to satisfy your hunger for nutrients. And you do not buy organic products. Frozen foods often contain the same nutrients as fresh foods and are healthier than canned foods.
Vary your protein sources.
Red meat is high in saturated fat, which can raise cholesterol. Replace red meat with chicken, fish or beans in most meals. If you eat red meat once or twice a week, try to choose a cut of meat like sirloin. 3. Choose better fast-food options. Sometimes we have to eat on the go, and some choices are better than others. Choose a salad or a side dish over any fried item. If you like Mexican fast-food chains, ditch the tortillas, and opt for veggie-filled dishes with cauliflower or brown rice instead of white rice.
Cook with Natural oil instead of butter.
This easy swap will help your food retain flavour without increasing your cholesterol. Both are made with fat, but extra virgin olive oil contains less saturated fat.
Replace cold breakfast cereal with oats.
Most cold cereals are full of sugar – but not much else. Oatmeal is a whole grain that can help lower cholesterol. Plus, it’s full of fibre, which can help you feel full longer than the refined grains found in most cereals.
5 ways to move more in a day
The American Heart Association recommends that you get at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week. When you start practicing, all you need is 15-20 minutes a day. Start with these five tips for making time for exercise.
Make movement a career.
Find a way to multitask, whether you’re making dinner, cleaning or brushing your teeth. Do little jumping jacks, squats, and lunges while you wait for the water to boil. When you bend down to pick up something on the floor, go all the way down and do a few squats. Walk in place or do calf raises while you brush your teeth. A little movement is better than nothing.
Exercise during the chores.
If you can, walk or cycle to the store. If you’re driving, park a bit farther from the store entrance to take extra steps and take a few laps around the store once inside.
Exercise while watching TV.
You’d be better off doing a weekend afternoon show on your favourite show if you’re running on location or jumping between shows. You can also use this time to strengthen your muscles and resistance bands.
Have more fun.
Take the kids to the playground or join friends on a hike – both can lift your spirits. If you’re stuck indoors, turn on some music and have a music party. Movement should be fun!
Take a walk on your lunch break.
I’m not suggesting that you replace your diet with exercise. Before you eat, take a few minutes around the block. The break will help your body and mind – exercise also improves brain health.
5 Numbers you need to know to keep a check on heart health
this is all a healthy numbers game. Knowing a few key metrics can give an accurate picture of your current heart rate and provide ongoing motivation to maintain good heart rates and improve those that are less healthy.
“It’s important to remember that all of these numbers fall on a continuous scale,” says Johns Hopkins cardiologist Michael Blaha, M.D., M.P.H. “It’s not enough to say you have high or low blood pressure – your doctor looks at how high or low it is.”
Five key things to track to know your numbers:
How many steps do you take per day
Moving a lot improves all other measures of heart health and disease risk, Blaha says. That’s why he often insists on walking up to 10,000 steps a day, or almost eight kilometres. Another rule of thumb is to exercise 150 minutes per week. Blaha says, “It’s better to be active than inactive.
Your blood pressure
High blood pressure, or high blood pressure, does not have any symptoms; it can only be detected by weighing it. A score of 120/80 is ideal and 140/90 is normal for most people. A high reading means that the arteries are not responding well to the force of blood pushing against the artery walls (high blood pressure), increasing the risk of a heart attack or immediate stroke.
Your cholesterol is not HDL
It’s your total cholesterol reading minus your HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, a type of fat in the blood that can clog and clog arteries in the heart. Lower is better: Aim for a score below 130 mg/dL or, if you’re at risk for heart disease, below 70-100 mg/dL.
Your blood sugar
High blood pressure increases your risk of developing diabetes, which damages arteries. In fact, type 1 and type 2 diabetes are one of the most harmful factors for heart disease.
How many hours do you sleep each night
While there is no “right” answer for everyone, getting the right number of hours for you can help reduce your risk of heart disease, Blaha says. Most people need six to eight hours of sleep each night.