4 Things You Can Do To Prevent Heart Disease
Taking care of your heart should be a top priority if you want to live a healthy and long life. According to a recent study, heart disease is a leading cause of death and responsible for every one in five deaths in the US. Several factors can contribute to your cardiovascular risks, and your choices can determine your life quality. Here are four things you can do to build a solid prevention plan to protect your heart and overall health.
Know your risks
Certain factors, such as smoking, renal illness, or a family history of early heart disease, might raise your risk. Knowing your risk factors can assist you and your medical team determine the best prevention and treatment plan for you. Additionally, knowing your risks can enable you to recognize your factors and the lifestyle modification you should do. Meanwhile, the CDC says that roughly 47% of Americans have at least one of three main heart disease risk factors.
Eat healthier
Vegetables, legumes, nuts, plant-based proteins, fruits, whole grains, lean animal proteins, and fish are recommended components of a diet in your prevention against heart disease. It is also advisable to make wise choices, such as reducing refined carbs and processed meats. Drinking sugary beverages can also increase your risk of developing heart problems, stroke, or cause blockage in your heart arteries. Try your best to avoid trans-fat and reduce your salt and added sugar intake. You can use the nutrition information label on packaged products to determine the quantity of these ingredients. It would be best to consider healthy alternatives to energy drinks since the latter may contain ingredients that increase your heart disease risks.
Get moving
Daily physical activity can reduce the risk of heart disease. Physical activity aids weight management and lowers the risk of other heart-related illnesses such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. It is recommended that adults engage in at least two hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise every week or one hour and 15 minutes of strenuous activity. If you're already active, you may up the ante to get even more benefits. Otherwise, start slowly and work toward achieving your fitness goals. Moving for even five minutes is great, and activities like gardening, housework, using the stairs, and walking your dog are all helpful.
Get good sleep
Lack of sleep can increase your risk of obesity, heart attack, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Unfortunately, this is the reality in the US, as more than a third of the population is not sleeping enough. The majority of individuals require at least seven hours of sleep each night. Therefore, take steps to prioritize sleep in your life. For instance, you can set a sleep pattern and adhere to it. Ensure your bedroom is quiet, dark, peaceful, and comfortable. Removing all electrical devices from the bedroom, including your smartphones, televisions, and laptops, can be useful.
What's the bottom line? Many heart diseases can be avoided or delayed by leading a healthy lifestyle. This includes being active and fit, eating a healthy diet, and avoiding habits that may put you at risk.
