Preventing Heart Disease: Expert Tips for a Healthy Heart
Heart disease is the number one cause of death in India. It's also a leading cause of impairment. However, you can take action to enhance your health and avoid heart disease. The first step is to assess your risk of heart disease. Your risk is determined by a variety of factors, some of which can be changed and others not. Learning about them and focusing on the things you can control can help reduce your risk of heart disease. The list below offers lifestyle changes that can help you prevent heart disease or delay its onset.
- Avoid smoking, vaping, or using other tobacco products: Tobacco use is the most preventable risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Quitting isn’t easy. But it’s one of the most important things you can do to protect your heart and blood vessels. If you use tobacco products, talk with your healthcare provider about how to quit.
- Limit alcohol: If you drink, limit yourself to two drinks per day (if assigned male at birth) or one (if assigned female at birth). Make sure you know how much alcohol counts as a drink.
- Eat heart-healthy foods: Make changes to how you eat. A dietitian can help you find changes you can make right away. some general tips for heart-healthy eating eat more of these foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (healthy fats), like tuna, salmon, flaxseed, almonds, and walnuts, fresh fruits and vegetables. These foods provide many nutrients. Plus, they’re often high in soluble fiber, which lowers your risk of heart disease, and healthy oils like extra virgin olive oil. Use in moderation for cooking or salad dressing and whole grains. Eat whole wheat bread and brown rice, for example.
- Lower your total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and triglyceride levels: A lipid panel measures the fats in your blood, like cholesterol and triglycerides. In general, aim for these levels in your lipid panel results: total cholesterol below 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), LDL cholesterol below 70 mg/dL if you have cardiovascular disease, LDL cholesterol below 100 mg/dL if you have a high risk for cardiovascular disease, LDL cholesterol below 130 mg/dL for everyone else, and triglycerides below 150 mg/dL.
- Raise your HDL (good) cholesterol: When it comes to HDL cholesterol, aim for at least 45 mg/dL for people assigned male at birth (AMAB), 55 mg/dL for people assigned female at birth (AFAB) and above 60 for all adults to gain ideal protection from heart disease.
- Manage high blood pressure: Aim for blood pressure at or below 120/80 millimeters of mercury. Your provider might change your blood pressure goal depending on your age and medical history. To manage your blood pressure, such as eat a low-sodium diet, keep a weight that’s healthy for you, limit alcohol consumption, and take medication if your provider prescribes it.
- Manage diabetes: Talk with your provider about what your ideal blood sugar and hemoglobin A1C numbers should be. Then, make a plan to meet your goal.
- Keep a weight that’s healthy for you: Talk with your provider about what weight is healthy for you. In general, aim for a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 24.9, a waist circumference of less than 40 inches for people assigned male at birth, and a waist circumference of less than 35 inches for people assigned female at birth.
- Move around more: Aim for 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity five days per week. This could include brisk walking or swimming. Or, aim for 25 minutes of vigorous physical activity (like running) three days per week. You still gain benefits if you’re active in several shorter chunks of 10 to 15 minutes each.
- Take your medications: Follow your provider’s guidance on when and how to take your medications. You need to take medications at the same time each day and follow other guidelines to get the most benefits.
- Get a yearly checkup: Make an appointment with your healthcare provider each year. They’ll check your vital signs and evaluate your overall health. They’ll also let you know how often you need blood tests to measure your cholesterol, blood sugar, and other important levels.
- Manage your stress level: Keep your stress level low with workouts, meditation, yoga or music. These are better options than drinking or eating too much in response to stress. Even just breathing deeply and stretching can relieve stress. You can also take a 10-minute break to play with your pet.
- Get the sleep you need: Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep every night. This can be difficult for many people with busy lives. To help you sleep better, try getting physical activity during the daytime and avoiding electronic screens right before bedtime.
Conclusion
Heart disease prevention necessitates a comprehensive strategy that includes dietary adjustments, exercise, stress management, and regular monitoring of health markers. While some risk factors, such as genetics and age, are beyond our control, following these expert recommendations can greatly reduce the risk of heart disease and enhance your overall quality of life.
Dr. D.K. Jhamb, Director & Head of the Department
Interventional Cardiology
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