Living a healthy lifestyle is essential to long term health and preventing heart disease.
However, a huge makeover isn’t necessary – start with these simple heart health ideas to get going and you’ll find it easier to start living a healthy life.
Avoid smoking
Smoking damages your body in several ways, such as:
- Reducing the amount of oxygen in the blood
- Damaging blood vessel walls
- Contributing to atherosclerosis
- Increasing the stiffness of the blood vessels
- Increasing the chances of heart attacks, strokes, and angina
Manage blood cholesterol
- Cholesterol is a fatty substance carried in the blood
- The body produces most cholesterol and some comes from foods
- There are two types: low-density lipoproteins (good) and high-density lipoproteins (bad)
- Good cholesterol helps keep cholesterol from building up in the arteries
- Bad cholesterol causes cholesterol build-up and blockage in the arteries
- Too much cholesterol can cause chest pain and a heart attack
Manage blood pressure
- High blood pressure over a long period of time is called hypertension
- High blood pressure is one of the main risk factors for heart disease
- Age increases the chances of high blood pressure
- Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to strokes, heart attacks, and kidney issues
Manage diabetes
Diabetes is:
- The leading cause of blindness in working adults
- Leading cause of kidney failure and dialysis
- Increases the risk of heart attacks and stroke by up to four times
- A major cause of limb amputations
- Affects mental health and leads to depression, anxiety, and distress
Be physically active
- Regular, moderate physical activity is great for heart health
- Sit less during the day and break up sitting time
Achieve and maintain a healthy weight
- Maintaining a healthy weight can reduce the risk of heart disease
- Know your body mass index and waist measurements
Eat a variety of nutritious food
- A varied diet of healthy foods can help with weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol
- Eat less salt to improve blood pressure
- Replace unhealthy fats with healthy ones
- Limit alcohol intake
Manage mental health
- People with depression have a greater risk of heart disease
- Those who are socially isolated or don’t have hood social support also have a greater risk
- Having a good social life with family and friends helps
- Talk to a doctor or family member if experiencing depression for more than two weeks