- By Priyanka Munshi
- Wed, 10 Apr 2024 04:59 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Preventing heart disease and promoting overall heart health only require a few simple lifestyle changes. Making small but meaningful adjustments to your diet, exercise routine, and habits can lead to significant results. Lowering salt, trans fats, and saturated fats while favoring a heart-healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Regular exercise strengthens the heart muscle and improves circulation. Activities such as brisk walking, swimming, and cycling are beneficial. Additionally, avoiding tobacco smoking and moderating alcohol consumption can lower the risk of heart disease. Ensuring adequate restful sleep and practicing stress management techniques like yoga or meditation are also crucial for heart health.
In a conversation with Jagran English, Dr. Amit Kumar Chaurasia, Chief of Cath Lab and TAVI (Unit 1) at Artemis Hospital in Gurugram, discussed the ten lifestyle changes to prevent heart disease.
According to Dr. Amit, heart disease remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide, but many of its risk factors are modifiable through healthy lifestyle changes. In India, the number of deaths due to heart failure ranged from 25,000 to 28,000 in the last four years, as reported in a 2022 study titled 'Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India'. However, individuals can significantly reduce their risk of developing heart disease by adopting healthy habits.
Important Lifestyle Changes To Prevent Heart Disease And Promote Overall Cardiovascular Health:
Maintain A Balanced Diet: Consume a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats while limiting saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, sodium, and added sugars.
Exercise Regularly: Engage in moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or vigorous-intensity exercise for at least 150 minutes per week, along with muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days per week.
Maintain A Healthy Weight: Achieve and maintain a healthy weight through a combination of diet and exercise to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Quit Smoking: Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease, so quitting smoking is crucial for heart health.
Limit Alcohol Consumption: Moderation is key when it comes to alcohol consumption to lower the risk of heart disease.
Manage Stress: Practice stress-reduction techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or yoga to manage stress effectively.
All of these lifestyle changes can significantly reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels, ultimately promoting overall heart health.(Image Credit:Canva)
Quality Sleep: Aim for at least 8 hours of quality sleep each night to promote heart health.
Monitor Blood Pressure, Diabetes, And Cholesterol Levels: Regularly monitor these vital signs and work with healthcare professionals to manage them effectively.
Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to maintain proper hydration and support heart health.
Regular Health Check-Ups: Schedule routine check-ups, screenings, and tests as recommended by healthcare providers to detect and manage any cardiovascular risk factors or early signs of heart disease.
In conclusion, preventing heart disease requires a comprehensive approach involving healthy lifestyle choices and regular monitoring of cardiovascular risk factors. By adopting these ten lifestyle changes, individuals can significantly reduce their risk of heart disease and enjoy better heart health in the long run.