Heart and circulatory diseases are on the rise compared to those other diseases across the globe.
We all know exercise and a good diet can keep your heart healthy. But how many of us actually follow this routine on a day-to-day basis.
With the World Heart Day on 29th September, we have listed 10 things you can do to keep your ticker strong.
- Minimize Sugar : Most of us have a sweet tooth and can’t give up sugar at one go. Excessive sugar in your daily diet can lead to weight gain which can increase your blood pressure and lead to diabetes and heart diseases. Having fresh fruits with yogurt is a great replacement for cakes or puddings.
- Limit Saturated Fat : Steam or grill instead of frying. Switch to skimmed milk and low-fat dairy instead of full fat products. Your cholesterol levels can be lowered if you avoid butter, ghee, fatty meats, dairy fats, processed foods. These all have saturated fats.
- Reduce Salt In-take : Having a high in-take salt diet can increase your blood pressure too, which results in increase risks of suffering from heart disease or stroke. Avoid using any salt on the table and reduce the level of salt in cooking.
- Eat More Fish : That’s correct!!! Oily fish such as fresh tuna, sardines, pilchards, mackerels, salmons are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. This is thought to be particularly beneficial for your heart as they improve cholesterol levels. Are you a vegetarian? We have a quick fix for omega-3 fats from spinach, wheat germs, walnuts, flax-seed oil, soya, canola oil and pumpkin seeds.
- Quit Smoking : Smoking is one of the main causes of cardiovascular disease. Smokers are almost twice as likely to have a heart attack compared to those who have never smoked. Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen in your body and raises your blood pressure. It also damages the lining of your arteries.
- Quit Alcohol : Some say drink alcohol moderately, however we say quite alcohol completely. If you want to have a proper frame of mind, quitting alcohol and smoking can give you a fresh mindset. Alcohol can affect your heart by causing high blood pressure, abnormal rhythms and damage your heart muscle. ( Think again !!!)
- Fill Up With Fruits And Vegetables : Eating at least five portions of fruits and a vegetable a day can help lower your blood pressure. Nutrients in the fruits and vegetables include your daily vitamins, minerals and fibre which keeps your heart healthy. Some fruits and vegetables can also help lower your cholesterol.
- Keep Exercising : Even a brisk 30 mins walk everyday after lunchtime, evenings or mornings can lower your risk of developing coronary heart disease. People who aren’t active are more likely to have a heart attack than those who are.
- Get Enough Sleep : Sleep is an essential part of keeping your heart healthy. If you don’t sleep enough you might be at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease no matter your age or other health habits. Get 7 – 8 hours of sleep daily. Make sure your kids have almost 10 hours night sleep and a 2 – 3 hour nap in the afternoon.
- Keep Calm, Don’t Stress : If you’re under a lot of stress, you might be bound to smoking, no exercise, consume alcohol which are all linked to heart problems. Keeping calm will avoid these problems.
Again these changes have to be gradual and consistent for a healthy mind and body.
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