Our hearts work every second, 24 hours a day without resting. In an average lifetime, the heart beats 2.5 billion times. As it is one of the most vital organs to keep us alive, it is important to keep it healthy. Heart disease is one of the major causes of death among men and women. Heart problems claim around one million lives per year. Heart diseases occur when plaque (can be made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium and other substances in the blood) blocks the coronary arteries, which supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart. Due to the plaque buildup, the blood flow to heart chambers gets blocked, leading to sudden cardiac arrest or heart attack.
Don’t ever overlook the heart attack symptoms. Get immediate help and treatment. Even if you have the slightest doubt relating to heart stroke symptoms, it is important you contact an expert cardiologist in Long Island. Quick treatment can save your life and prevent any serious disability.
Heart Disease Risks
Heart problems can occur at any age and its first symptom might be a heart attack.
Heart disease risk in women – Although the average age for heart attack in women is 70 years but that doesn’t mean there is no risk before that. More women in early twenties die of heart attack than breast cancer. The heart attacks among women aged between 35 and 54 have been rising at an alarming rate in the last 20 years.
Heart disease risk in men – The average age of heart attacks in men is 66 but again they can strike at any age.
Doctors recommend adults to undergo screening every year. This includes a check of blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar levels, height, and weight. During the check-up, the doctor should take into consideration your habits which might include smoking, nutrition and exercising. It is recommended that most men above the age 45 should get non-invasive imaging tests such as Coronary Calcium Scoring or Carotid IMT testing. But if you have health problems such as diabetes, you should get screened around the age of 40, even if you have no symptoms of heart disease.
How can you lower the risk of heart disease?
Though the numbers about heart diseases are alarming, the good news is that with simple lifestyle changes you can avoid heart-related problems. You can lower the risk of heart disease by taking the following measures-
#1. Quit smoking
Smoking raises the risk of heart attack in individuals. Chemicals in tobacco can damage heart blood vessels and narrow the arteries due to the plaque buildup, ultimately leading to heart attack. Carbon monoxide in smoking replaces the oxygen in the blood, which increases your blood pressure. Due to this, your heart has to work faster to supply enough oxygen. Women smokers have a higher risk of heart attack than the women who don’t. The more you smoke, the higher is the risk of heart diseases. Even smokeless tobacco, low-nicotine cigarettes, and low tar cigarettes have an adverse effect on your health. But as you quit smoking, your risks continue to go down as you stay smoke-free. Your risk of coronary heart diseases reduces drastically one year after quitting smoking.
#2. Control your portion size
What you eat is important but how much you eat is equally important. Overfilling your plate, eat until you feel stuffed can lead to more intake of calories in your diet. Use a small plate when eating to control the portions of your food. Eat larger portions of food with fewer calories and eat nutrient-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables. Eat smaller portions of food, avoiding high sodium foods, highly processed or fast foods. This can help in shaping up your diet and waistline, keeping your heart in good health.
#3. Keep a check on your weight
Being overweight makes you prone to higher blood pressure, high cholesterol and health issues like diabetes. Metabolic syndrome (fat getting accumulated around the abdomen), high blood pressure and high blood sugar increase the risk of heart disease. One way to check whether your weight in healthy is to get your BMI (body mass index) checked. BMI with numbers higher than 25 is associated with higher cholesterol, blood pressure and increased risk of heart problems and strokes. Another way to check the weight is measuring the waist circumference. Men with a waist circumference of more than 40 inches are considered overweight. Women with more than 35 inches of waist circumference are overweight. Even slightest weight loss can be beneficial for overweight people. If you lose weight by 3 to 5 percent, it decreases triglycerides and blood sugar (glucose), thus reducing the chance of diabetes.
#4. Get adequate quality sleep
Not getting enough quality sleep can have several adverse effects on your body. Studies have shown that poor quality sleep is associated with increased blood pressure and higher cardiovascular risk. People who are sleep deprived have a higher risk of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, and heart problems. Adults need around 7 to 9 hours sleep every day. It’s very important that you set a sleep schedule for yourself and stick to it. Keep your bedroom dark and quiet so that it is easier to sleep. If you are getting enough sleep but still do not feel refreshed, then you should consult a doctor to get evaluated for obstructive sleep apnea. In sleep apnea, your throat muscles block your airway during the sleep, causing obstruction in breathing properly. Symptoms of sleep apnea include snoring loudly, waking up several times during sleep, gasping for air during sleep, waking up with a headache, dry mouth and more. Treatments for sleep apnea may include losing weight if you are overweight and using CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) to keep your airway open during sleep.
#5. Keep a check on your blood pressure
High blood pressure puts stress on the heart as it has to work harder, which raises the risk of heart diseases. Keeping a check on your diet, exercising, and cutting down on the sodium intake, and limiting your alcohol intake can keep your blood pressure in control.
#6. Keep your cholesterol controlled
Higher cholesterol level in the body leads to higher risks of heart problems. Following the same steps such as healthy diet, exercise, limited intake of alcohol can keep your cholesterol levels controlled.
#7. Exercise
Exercising moderately every day can keep your heart healthy. Indulging in physical activities can keep your weight controlled and reduce the chances of developing health conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. You should do moderate exercise such as brisk walk for 30 minutes every day. Even shorter amounts of exercise can offer health benefits.
#8. Manage stress
Some people try to cope with stress in unhealthy ways such as they overeat, drink or smoke. It is always better to find healthy alternatives to fight stress such as exercising, meditation or other physical activities.
#9. Maintain a healthy diet
Eating a heart-healthy diet can reduce the chances of heart diseases significantly. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can keep your heart protected. You should include low fat or fat-free dairy products, fish and beans in your meals. Avoid high sugary or salty food items. Keeping a check on certain fats such as saturated, monosaturated and trans fat is also important. Try to keep trans fat completely out of your diet. Keep only 5 to 6 percent of saturated fat in your diet.
Major sources of saturated fat include-
- Full-fat dairy products
- Red meat
- Palm oils
Major sources of trans fat-
- Deep-fried food items
- Packed foods
- Chips and cookies
- Bakery products
If the food item has the term “partially hydrogenated” or “hydrogenated,” it means that the product has trans fat. You don’t chuck out all the fats from your diet. Healthy fats which come from plant-based sources such as avocados, olives, nuts, and olive oil helps to lower down the bad cholesterol from the body. It is important that you add more fruits and vegetables in your diet. Eating more fruits and vegetables helps in preventing heart diseases, improving blood flow and blood pressure, and improving diabetes.
Following a heart-healthy diet means you need to keep an eye on how much alcohol your drink. If you choose to drink alcohol, make sure you do it in moderation. This means for women of all ages, drinking one glass per day is fine and for men aged 65 or less up to two drinks is okay.
Parting words
By incorporating these nine tips into your daily routine, you can keep your heart healthy. But if you still ever find any symptoms that point out at any heart problem, don’t overlook them. Immediately consult an expert cardiologist in Long Island. Right action taken at the right time can help in detecting the heart problem at an early stage. It is important that you have regular check-ups with your health care provider, especially individuals who have a history of cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure. Cardiologists can help you to treat, manage and control your health condition. It is important that you eat right, exercise and stay healthy!