Heart disease: where we stand
Did you know that India’s age-standardised cardiovascular death rate (272 per 100,000) is higher than the global average of 235 per 100,000? Heart disease is the leading cause of death globally, taking around 17.9 million lives each year. Heart attack prevention must be among our top priorities to lead a healthy life. So, let’s look at some ways to prevent and reverse heart disease.
What is heart disease?
Heart disease or coronary heart disease occurs when plaque develops in arteries and blocks oxygen from reaching the heart.
Risk factors for heart disease
The biggest behavioural risk factors of heart disease are an unhealthy diet, an inactive lifestyle, tobacco use, and excessive use of alcohol. These, individually and collectively, can result in elevated blood pressure (hypertension), raised blood glucose levels (leading to diabetes), raised blood lipids, and excess body weight. These also indicate an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and other complications. So, let’s look at ways of heart attack prevention.
Ways to prevent heart disease
Quit smoking
The most crucial step anyone can take to lower their heart disease risk is quitting smoking. Smoking is among the leading risk factors for coronary heart disease, stroke, and heart attacks. It results in the accumulation of plaque in the arteries, which can lead to the hardening of the arteries, otherwise known as atherosclerosis.
Smoking tends to damage organs as well and forces them to function less efficiently, putting pressure on your heart. So, in short, quit smoking for heart attack prevention.
Pay attention to your nutrition
Maintaining a healthy, nutritious diet can help heart attack prevention. The best diet is high in whole grains, raw vegetables and fruits, and omega-3 fatty acids (present in fish).
Focus on eating nuts as well. Limit or avoid processed foods or those containing high amounts of sugar, salt, and partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, as these tend to worsen heart disease. Nuts contain healthy monounsaturated fats that help reduce cholesterol in the blood. Most vegetables and fruits are rich in vitamin C, which is a great antioxidant that works to prevent atherosclerosis. Omega 3 reportedly reduces the risk of developing irregular heartbeat and prevents plaque build-up. This is an efficient way to prevent heart disease.
Get moving
With exercise, 30 is the magic number you are looking at. Get at least 30 minutes of exercise daily and aim for 60 minutes a few days of the week. The key is staying active because this will help maintain a healthy weight. Here are some exercises recommended to maintain a healthy heart — brisk walking, running, swimming, and cycling.
You need to focus on keeping your heart pumping. Weight training can help build muscles and boost your heart to do its job better. Yoga helps to get your heart rate up while helping you manage stress.
Get regular health checkups
You may need to manage diabetes with medications. You can limit the effects of diabetes and reduce your risk of heart disease by choosing a healthy lifestyle. Regular cardiovascular screening helps detect risk factors in the earliest stages.
Many heart conditions tend to go undetected without regular heart check-ups. Health checkups help with early detection, improve overall health, reduce healthcare costs, and help lower blood pressure. Regular check-ups can also help detect and treat other problems like hypertension and diabetes, which can lead to heart disease. This is one of the simplest measures for heart attack prevention.
Manage stress
There’s a link between high stress levels and heart disease. Stress tends to cause sleep loss and headaches and increases the stress on the heart. Try breathing exercises and yoga to alleviate stress. This is also one of the most effective measures for heart attack prevention.
Conclusion
There are several risk factors for heart disease, such as obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, family history of heart disease, being inactive, smoking, eating unhealthily, and clinical depression. But most of these can be prevented with the right lifestyle choices. Learn to stay active and eat healthy, as this can go a long way in helping maintain heart health and heart attack prevention.
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FAQs
1. What are five foods that can prevent heart disease?
Garlic, oranges, sardines, walnuts, and prunes are heart-healthy foods. The regular consumption of these food items helps with heart attack prevention.
2. Which drink is good for the heart?
Water is the best drink for your heart. Our bodies are mostly made up of water; water is needed for cells to function and for our blood to carry nutrients to various body parts. Besides, nutritious juices, like pomegranate juice and green juices, can also be ideal for staying healthy and aiding heart attack prevention.
3. What are the signs of a weak heart?
If you experience the following, chances are your heart is weak and needs attention:
• Fatigue and weakness
• Swelling in the legs
• Rapid, irregular heartbeat
• Being out of breath
• Persistent cough or wheezing
• Swelling of the abdomen
4. Can stress cause heart disease?
Stress often leads to hypertension or elevated blood pressure, which poses a risk for heart attack. Doctors believe that chronic stress is associated with increased cardiovascular events.
