5 Healthy Ways to Prevent Heart Disease

March 12, 2012
DUNIA Contributor
Posted in Home and Wellbeing

A Dunia Magazine article

It is really important that we keep ourselves healthy. There are many things we can do to make sure that we stay fit and firm and help our bodies function as normally as they are naturally programmed to function. While some health issues are hereditary, most are caused by unhealthy lifestyles and habits.

Small changes can make a big difference, especially when it comes to heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control, heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women in the United States (in 2008, heart disease caused almost 25% of deaths — almost one in every four—in the United States).

Here are five healthy heart disease prevention tips to get you started on the right track to living a fulfilled and happy life:

1. Don’t smoke or use tobacco

Smoking or using tobacco is one of the most significant risk factors for developing heart disease. Chemicals in tobacco can damage your heart and blood vessels, leading to narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis can ultimately lead to a heart attack. When it comes to heart disease prevention, no amount of smoking is safe. Smokeless tobacco and low-tar and low-nicotine cigarettes also are risky, as is exposure to secondhand smoke.

Women who smoke and take birth control pills are at a greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke than are those who don’t do either. This risk increases with age, especially in women older than 35.

The good news, though, is that when you quit smoking, your risk of heart disease drops dramatically within just one year. And no matter how long or how much you smoked, you’ll start reaping rewards as soon as you quit.

2. Exercise for at least 30 minutes every day

Getting some regular, daily exercise can reduce your risk of fatal heart disease. And when you combine physical activity with other lifestyle measures, such as maintaining a healthy weight, the payoff is even greater. In fact, recent studies by British researchers show that frequent, regular walking plus participation in a recreational activity or sport once a week lowers the risk of heart attack or stroke by over 50% in middle-aged men.

Physical activity helps you control your weight and can reduce your chances of developing other conditions that may put a strain on your heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. It also reduces stress, which may be a factor in heart disease.

3. Eat a heart-healthy diet

Limiting certain fats you eat also is important. Of the types of fat — saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and trans fat, saturated fat and trans fat increase the risk of coronary artery disease by raising blood cholesterol levels.

Major sources of saturated fat include red meat, dairy products, coconut and palm oils. Sources of trans fat include deep-fried fast foods, bakery products, packaged snack foods, margarines, crackers.

According to Hans R Larsen, Msc ChE, a heart healthy diet is rich in fruits, vegetables and low in saturated fat, cholesterol, meat and sugar.

4. Maintain a healthy weight

As you put on weight in adulthood, your weight gain is mostly fat rather than muscle. This excess weight can lead to conditions that increase your chances of heart disease — high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

One way to see if your weight is healthy is to calculate your body mass index, which considers your height and weight in determining whether you have a healthy or unhealthy percentage of body fat. BMI numbers 25percent and higher are associated with higher blood fats, higher blood pressure, and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

Even a small weight loss can be beneficial. Reducing your weight by just 10 percent can decrease your blood pressure, lower your blood cholesterol level and reduce your risk of diabetes.

5. Get regular health screenings

High blood pressure and high cholesterol can damage your heart and blood vessels. But without testing for them, you probably won’t know whether you have these conditions. Regular screening can tell you what your numbers are and whether you need to take action.

The CDC reports that in a 2008 survey, only 27% of respondents were aware of all major symptoms of heart disease and knew to call 9-1-1 when someone was having a heart attack. It was also noted that about 47% of sudden cardiac deaths occur outside a hospital, suggesting that many people with heart disease don’t act on early warning signs such as chest discomfort, discomfort in other areas of the upper body (which can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach), shortness of breath, and other symptoms like breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headedness. It is important to go for regular check-ups and follow the advice and recommendations of your doctor.

It’s not to late to get healthy, take a hold of your life and live it to the fullest – The Healthy Way!

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