PharmEasy Blog

Essential Tips For A Healthy Heart!

Cardiovascular diseases cause the highest number of deaths all over the world. The health of our hearts depends on a lot of lifestyle factors. Poor nutrition choices, bad lifestyle decisions, and improper mental health care can result in strokes, heart attacks, embolisms, and coronary heart disease. Here are 20 ways to keep your heart healthy:

Eat healthily

Eating fresh produce and eliminating processed foods from your diet will reduce trans- fats, the number one cause of heart disease in men and women.

1. Focus on heart-healthy foods. 2. Maintain a healthy weight. 3. Stand up and get moving. 4. Live smoke-free. 5. Catch the signs of heart disease early

Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD

Antioxidants Intake

By increasing your intake of antioxidants found in berries, artichokes, nuts, leafy greens, and citrus fruits you can ensure good heart health.

Quit Smoking

Smoking causes the blood vessels going to and fro from the heart to constrict, increasing the odds of getting a heart attack. Quit smoking to keep your heart happy.

Cardiovascular diseases claim more lives than all forms of cancer combined. If you experience any sign of a compromised heart health like chest pain, pain in the jaw, loss of consciousness, etc. immediate medical intervention is essential.

Dr. Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S., M.D

Regular Exercise

Aerobics, Zumba, yoga, swimming, brisk walking, jogging, and taekwondo will increase heart rate which keeps the system functioning well.

Bust the Stress

Stress makes us indulge in unhealthy activities like drinking, eating junk and smoking. Find ways to de-stress and learn to practice deep breathing exercises.

Delete Cholesterol

Avoid processed foods, eat natural and healthy and your cholesterol levels will see a dip.

Also Read: Recommended & Normal Cholesterol Level

Sleep Enough

Restful, seven hours of sleep every night is a must for a healthy heart.

Read More: What are The Benefits of Sleep?

Socialize

Having an active social life can reduce the risk of suffering from heart disease. Meet friends and family often.

Embracing a positive perspective on life could contribute to your long-term well-being.

Dr. Arpit Verma, MBBS, MD (Pharmacology)

Stock Up On Fibre

Eat your raw fruits and veggies and the wonder cereal oats to improve heart functioning.

Reduce Alcohol

Limit your alcohol intake and avoid binge drinking sessions. Choose wine over the hard drinks to have a happy heart.

Weighty Issues

Reduce your weight if you are on the heavier side. Look up the optimum weight for your age and height and aim to achieve that.

Pet Therapy

Having a pet reduces stress. If pets are not your thing, indulge in some gardening, or volunteer for some charity work.

Cooking Oil Matters

Eliminate refined oils from your cooking. Switch to olive oil, peanut, sesame or mustard oil.

Reduce Salt

Salt is known to increase blood pressure. Reduce its amount from your diet and use herbs and spices to add more flavour to your food.

Eat Your Oats

Oats are the friendliest cereal when it comes to your heart. Rich in fibre and high in protein, oats are the best breakfast option.

Regular Checkups

Meet your doctor regularly to have consistent updates on your health

Walnuts

They are the richest in antioxidants, which are responsible for avoiding heart issues. Eat a handful to stay healthy

Eat Fish

The healthiest alternative to red meat and chicken, fish is also rich in antioxidants.

Eat chocolate

Chow down some dark chocolate but only in moderation. The darker it is, the more antioxidants it will have proving beneficial for your heart.

Dental hygiene

Dental health is related to your heart’s health. Floss and brush daily and visit the dentist regularly.

Reduce belly fat

Excessive belly fat is often responsible for high blood pressure and higher levels of lipid in the blood. All these factors are extremely detrimental to heart health. Thus, It is important to keep your belly fat in control.

Physical activity

Working out regularly reduces the resting heart rate. It raises the heart rate while the body is engaged in physical activities which strengthens the lungs. Even if there is not much time left for exercising, a simple evening stroll might be beneficial.

Stretching exercises

Stretching reduces stress levels which ultimately helps in keeping the heart-healthy.  

Take the stairs instead of using the lift

Walking up and down the stairs is considered a great cardio activity and is sometimes even added to fitness regimes by trainers. It is a good way of getting your body moving while doing other chores. 

Be aware of your health

Being aware of the blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels which are healthy for your gender and age not only helps you remain healthy and seek help when necessary.

Intimacy with your partner

Intimate activity with your partner has several benefits including keeping your heart healthy. It may reduce your blood pressure levels and reduce the risk of heart-related diseases.

Do not skip breakfast

The first meal of the day is also the most important meal of the day. Eating a balanced breakfast daily helps maintain a healthy body weight and provides energy throughout the day.

Also Read: Take Care of Your Heart: Foods To Avoid If You Have Heart Palpitations

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.

Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.

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Hypothyroidism And Heart Health: 7 Healthy Tips!

The thyroid gland works on a delicate balance in the body. Many factors could threaten and cause imbalance. When the thyroid gland produces fewer quantities of thyroid hormones, it is known as hypothyroidism. Having low thyroid hormones leads to the person feeling sluggish, putting on weight, having a reduced body temperature and dry skin and hair apart from other symptoms. Hypothyroidism and heart health have a very close link.The thyroid gland is intricately involved in the metabolic processes of the body. Low levels of thyroid hormones can hamper the proper functioning of many other organs. Research points out to more debilitating effects of hypothyroidism on the body, specifically the heart.Hypothyroidism leads to an increase in LDL or bad cholesterol. This could lead to high blood pressure and eventually a heart attack or a stroke. Wait, there is more. Hypothyroidism can also cause the heart to enlarge and even reduce the heart rate. There is a lot you can do to safeguard your heart. Take a look at seven heart-healthy tips for hypothyroidism.

  1. Get Your Hypothyroidism Under Control
It’s logical – be regular with your health checkups and your medications. Watch out for hypothyroidism symptoms. If undiagnosed or ignored, it is an invitation to heart trouble.
  1. Regular Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Checkups
Monitoring the blood pressure and the blood cholesterol closely ensures that the moment anything is amiss, it will be caught. Since higher readings of both these parameters are related to increased risks of cardiac arrests and strokes, keeping a tab nips the problem in the bud.Read More: Normal and Recommended Cholesterol Levels
  1. Healthy Weight
Maintaining a healthy weight ensures that the bad cholesterol is kept in check. There is a comfortable range of weight that most age groups have. Those who suffer from hypothyroidism must take care to maintain their weight within this range. They can follow a special hypothyroidism diet after consulting a dietician.Also Read: Wheat Berries: Research-Based Guide to Health Benefits and Recipes
  1. Quit Smoking
Smoking causes constriction of blood vessels throughout the body, even the heart. This too can cause severe damage to the heart’s health as it reduces the amount of oxygen being provided to the heart. Smoking is terrible for all organs and quitting is the only way to ensure better health.Read More: 7 Health Effects of Smoking  
  1. Stay Active
Regular exercising for a minimum of 30 minutes five days a week, will keep the heart active and pump out blood efficiently. Pick any activity that pikes up the interest, be it dancing, aerobics, walking, swimming- they are all good for the heart. If one is on the move, the choice of activity is immaterial.
  1. Healthy Diet
Eating healthy is one of the biggest favours you can do for yourself. A diet that encompasses whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fish, and nuts goes a long way in adding to the well-being of the heart. A proper hypothyroidism diet curbs half the health problems.Also Read: 8 Best Foods for Thyroid Patients
  1. Keep a Tab on the Spirits
Consumption of too much alcohol can lead to serious heart trouble. If one suffers from hypothyroidism, clamping down on the alcohol should lead to reduced risks of cardiac problems. Men must not have more than two drinks a day and women should not have more than one.Read More: 20 Essential Healthy heart Tips
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
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