30 year Rashid was diagnosed with hypertension. A condition in which the force of the blood against the artery walls is too high. That in resulted putting unwanted pressure on the heart and affected his work.
Something similar happened with 18-year-old Seema when she collapsed while dancing. She was rushed to the hospital immediately and her family was told that she was 1 burger (Seema’s favorite food) away from having a heart attack.
Until recently, we might not have been very interested in knowing about heart health, but you might have read or seen similar cases where young people are experiencing heart issues/disease.
What was once considered as elderly problem, is now very common in young people. And, the main reason for that is our lifestyle. We always think that a heart attack is sudden, but that’s not true. It depends on how we treat our heart and health.
This article will highlight some of the tips for healthy heart, which are easy to follow and that make sense.
Table of Contents
Prefer home cooked meal
I think the biggest reason for deteriorating heart health is the food. Food is not the villain , but factors associated with it could lead to risk.
When we eat outside, we don’t know the type of food we are eating. Whether it is fresh or not, how many times the oil is re-heated, what are the ingredients used in it, and under what cooking conditions was it cooked?
Eating outside or food that is available in restaurants are often cooked with cheap materials. We cannot guarantee about the hygiene and other factors like utensils used for cooking.
Ultra-processed foods are also quite popular and these are the #1 reasons why people prefer eating outside. These are quick to make, are delicious, and no matter how much we eat, we are never satisfied with them.
Research suggests that UPFs can lead to diabetes, hypertension, obesity and these 3 are leading cause of heart diseases and failure.
However, this can be avoided if we know what we are eating and that is possible with a home-cooked meal. With home cooked meal, we can customize our meal the way we desire. With fresh and known ingredients, we can at least be aware of what we are putting in our stomachs.
Always prefer a freshly cooked meal over stale food. According to Ayurveda, stale or leftover food is equivalent to toxins and can further lead to many problems.
FGW
A home-cooked meal doesn’t guarantee that you may not get heart issues, but it will still put us to the safer and known side.
Include protein and fibers
Another problem with UPFs is that these are not real food. These are artificially designed foods with cheap, flavored, unnaturally colored, high in sodium, and acids. Such foods offers no nutritional value.
You can find products in the market that claims that they are rich in proteins and fibers, but in reality it contains neither of that. Eating such food can lead to excessive bad cholesterol, which can further put heart to the risk.
When we talk about proteins and fibers, it should come from plant and animal-based products like whole grains, green leafy vegetables, lean meat, eggs, etc. Such food promotes good cholesterol and even keeps blood glucose level in check.
Just like any other muscle, the heart also needs protein for it to function properly. Including a protein-rich diet is considered to be good for people struggling with hypertension.
Similarly, soluble fiber helps in the promotion of good cholesterol (HDL). Like protein, fibers help us to feel satiated and even help in weight management.
Stay active
Sedentary lifestyle is like an invitation to heart diseases. Due to sedentary lifestyle, chances of hypertension, bad cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity increases.
Regular physical activity trains our heart, making it pump blood more efficiently. Regular exercise also widens blood vessels and creates new capillaries that ensure better circulation of blood throughout the body.
Even a small walk, or change of habits like taking stairs instead of an elevator, can make a big difference. You can improve your heart health with minor changes.
This blog post will guide you further.
Manage stress
Stress is not just an enemy of emotional health, but can affect heart health. When we are stressed, hormones like adrenaline and cortisol can lead to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. Over time, elevated levels of these hormones can damage heart health.
Stress can also lead to inflammation throughout the body, which can lead to plaque buildup in our arteries. This makes the flow of blood difficult, leading to stroke and heart attack.
In most cases, people develops unhealthy habits like emotional eating, smoking and alcohol consumption, which pose additional dangers to the heart.
Laughter can help in secretion of endorphins (feel good hormones) and can reduce stress. It can even improve blood circulation and enhance the blood vessels function.
FGW
Our main objective should be eating healthy food, exercising, sleeping sufficiently, etc. to tackle the stress.
Sleep well
Body goes to a restorative state during sleep. This allows heart rate and blood pressure to drop. This further gives the heart some rest. Sleep deprivation can disrupt the body’s natural regulation of blood pressure.
Sleep deprivation can also increase cortisol. Cortisol can increase cravings for unhealthy food, and then we are back to UPFs and their disadvantages.
It is suggested to get 7-8 hours of sleep. Taking care of your heart health, can even improve the quality of sleep.
This post will help you sleep better.
Quit smoking and drinking
Cigarette contains over 7000 chemicals, many of them are harmful to heart and blood vessels. Smoking also increases the likelihood of blood clotting. Clots can block arteries, and can lead to heart disease.
Cigarette smoke contains carbon monoxide, which reduces the amount of oxygen your blood can carry. This deprives your heart and other organs of the oxygen they need to function properly. Also, smoking can lead to elevated blood pressure.
Similarly, regular drinking can lead to hypertension. Drinking can damage the tissues of heart, can even lead to irregular heart beats.
There’s no safe limit or number for smoking and drinking. Quitting progressively is the best option. Talk to your doctor for realistic ways to quit smoking and drinking.
Regular checkup for heart health
Knowledge is power. The more you know about your body, the better. A regular checkup can tell you about your heart health in advance. Even if there are chances of heart disease, you can know about it and change the course of action.
A simple blood test can tell you about your blood glucose level, cholesterol, nutrients, etc.
With that, you can even monitor blood sugar levels and blood pressure at home with portable devices. Although a smart watch is not accurate, it still gives a rough idea of heart rate and blood pressure.
Check out this post to know more about what determines the heart health
Conclusion
After those Incidents both Rashid and Seema have started living a healthy life. Rashid is able to manage his blood pressure by sleeping on time and exercising regularly. While Seema lost 15 kg after her near-death experience. She now eats a nutritious and healthy diet. She still enjoys burgers, but now she has learned to cooked it healthily.
The above mentioned tips are just some minor changes that can you make to live a healthy life. You can still enjoy your favorite food and delights, just need a little awareness and knowledge.
Remember, moderation should always be the key. Find some time to include physical activity and healthy food in your lifestyle.
Keep smiling and stay healthy.
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