Did you know that heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people
of most racial groups in the United States?
One person dies every 36 seconds from cardiovascular disease!
Hi viewers and welcome back to Bestie!
Heart disease is an umbrella term which addresses conditions that affect the structuring and
functioning of the heart.
Prevention is key to keeping this organ in top shape and pumping the way that it should.
Embracing heart-healthy habits can make a huge difference.
In fact, heart disease risk falls significantly when people embrace heart-healthy habits.
And in today’s video, we will tell you the best habits that you should follow for a healthier
heart.
From quitting smoking, eating less salt, controlling your portion sizes, getting enough sleep to
shedding excess weight and more, watch till the end to learn about all of them.
Take a break from technology: Dependence on technology is inevitable in this day and age.
Smartphones, iPads, computers, TVs, and other technological advancements are helping us
with professional responsibilities and social commitments.
However, they are making us sedentary, increasing the level of stress hormones, and raising
blood pressure, thus contributing to heart disease.
So take frequent breaks, step away from your desk, the laptop, and the mobile screen, and
walk around a bit to warm your muscles that tend to be inactive from prolonged sitting.
How many hours do you spend on an average everyday on your phone?
Tell us quickly down below in the comments section!
Keep a calm mind and be patient: To keep a healthy heart, maintaining a calm mind and
inculcating patience is one of the best ways to alleviate anxiety and be stress-free.
Meditating is an age-old practice to keep the heart healthy.
Many studies have shown that people who meditate regularly are less likely to suffer a painful
and life-threatening heart attack or stroke.
Engage In Physical Activity: A healthy heart needs activity.
Adults who engage in 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity five times a week reduce their risk
of a cardiac event.
Research suggests that regular exercise benefits us in a number of ways, including a reduction
in body weight, blood pressure and bad cholesterol.
It also leads to an increase in good cholesterol and insulin sensitivity.
Quit Smoking: You may already be thinking about quitting smoking.
But, did you know that that over time, a smoker who quits can reduce his or her risk of heart
disease to that of a nonsmoker’s risk?
In fact, some of the health benefits of quitting smoking are immediate.
Within 20 minutes, your heart rate and blood pressure drop, and after 12 hours, the carbon
monoxide level in your blood returns to normal.
Cut down on your fat intake: To prevent or reduce heart ailments, you need to choose
the right types of fats and eat less fat in general.
Our diet comprises a large amount of fat in general, regardless of the source.
So cutting down on the fat and oil intake can be a good first step.
Avoid fats that elevate cholesterol levels: saturated fats and trans fatty acids, which
are present in bakery products, high-fat meats, fried food and dairy products like cream.
Use healthier oils like olive oil, canola or rice bran oil.
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Eat Less Salt: Excess salt in your diet can cause blood pressure elevation, which increases
the development of heart problems.
Reduce your daily salt intake to not more than 6 grams a day.
You can cut off your excess salt intake by using less salt for cooking, avoiding table
salt while eating.
You can also cut down on processed and canned foods and avoid crackers and snacks, which
are high in salt.
Limit packaged and processed foods: A good rule of thumb is to follow the motto “if
it’s grown, eat it.”
Simply prepared fresh food is always the way to go, and the convenience of packaged and
processed foods is appealing.
But read the labels to make the better choice when you use them.
More than 75 percent of salt you eat is from boxed, bagged and processed foods.
And loads of hidden sugars and fats often ride along with some basically healthy foods.
The only solution to making smart choices when it comes to packaged and processed foods
is to read nutrition labels carefully.
Look for the percentage of daily recommended intake for the best idea of what you’re
eating.
For example, if a saturated fat amount is listed as 70 percent of your daily recommendation,
it’s a red flag to limit or avoid that food.
And remember that packaged and processed foods are also the major source of trans fats—another
artery-clogging fat you want to avoid.
That’s an easy one to spot because the nutrition label indicates how much there is.
Practice Good Dental Hygiene: It might surprise some to know that your dental health is an
indication of your overall health.
Individuals who have gum disease are at an increased risk of developing heart disease.
Additionally, bacteria in the mouth can travel into the bloodstream and affect the heart
valves.
Brushing twice and flossing daily can dramatically reduce these risks.
Get Proper Amount of Sleep: Everyone knows they should be getting a full seven to nine
hours of sleep.
Your sleeping habits can directly impact your heart health.
People who sleep less than six hours per night are at double the risk for a stroke or heart
attack.
Studies indicate that a lack of sleep impacts underlying health conditions such as inflammation,
blood pressure, and glucose metabolism.
Individuals struggling with sleep can consider using meditation apps, sleep masks, aromatherapy,
and sleeping music to help.
Cut back on alcohol: Alcohol can affect your heart by causing high blood pressure, abnormal
heart rhythms and damage to the heart muscle.
But you don’t have to give it up completely.
Just stick to current guidelines for moderate alcohol drinking, which are two to three units
a day for women and three to four for men.
Don’t sit for too long at one time: In recent years, research has suggested that staying
seated for long periods of time is bad for your health no matter how much exercise you
do.
This is bad news for the many people who sit at sedentary jobs all day.
In addition, sitting for long periods of time, especially when traveling increases your risk
of deep vein thrombosis which is a blood clot.
It’s important to move throughout the day.
Park farther away from the office, take a few shorter walks throughout the day and use
a standing workstation so you can move up and down.
And remember to exercise on most days.
Eat less sugar: Too much sugar in your diet could lead to weight gain, which can raise
your blood pressure and lead to diabetes and heart disease.
If you have a sweet tooth and can’t give up sugar altogether, simply have fresh fruit
with yoghurt instead of sweetened puddings and cakes.
It’s very important to recognize the signs of eating too much sugar and cut back on it
immediately.
Learn more about these signs by watching “12 Signs You're Eating Way Too Much Sugar”
Now, back to Tips To Improve Heart Health Naturally
Control your portion size: How much you eat is just as important as what you eat.
Overloading your plate, taking seconds and eating until you feel stuffed can lead to
eating more calories than you should.
Portions served in restaurants are often more than anyone needs.
Use a small plate or bowl to help control your portions.
Eat more low-calorie, nutrient-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables.
Try to eat smaller amounts of high-calorie, high-sodium foods, such as refined, processed
or fast foods.
It's also important to keep track of the number of servings you eat.
A serving size is a specific amount of food, defined by common measurements such as cups,
ounces or pieces.
For example, one serving of pasta is about 1/3 to 1/2 cup, or about the size of a hockey
puck.
A serving of meat, fish or chicken is about 2 to 3 ounces, or about the size and thickness
of a deck of cards.
The recommended number of servings per food group may vary depending on the specific diet
or guidelines you're following.
Unwind whenever you get the opportunity: High level of stress is bad for the heart.
Not only can severe stress and anxiety directly harm the heart, but it also leads to other
behaviors such as smoking, alcohol & bingeing on comfort food.
Practice stress reduction through yoga, meditation, and listening to soothing music.
Shed excess weight: Excess weight is an enemy to your heart health—bringing with it a
slew of health risks.
Being overweight puts extra pressure on your arterial walls and forces your heart to work
harder.
It also puts you at risk for developing other diseases, such as atherosclerosis.
These can lead to hypertension, cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and stroke.
Studies suggest that excess weight around the middle puts your heart health at risk.
Excess belly fat correlates with higher blood pressure and cholesterol levels, two key risks
to the health of your heart.
Harmonize your heart health with music: You may already know that listening to music can
help you relieve stress.
But did you know that music with slower tempos can also help you lower your blood pressure
and improve your heart rate variability?
Music subconsciously affects our mood.
The right type of music can have a positively calming effect and has been proven to lower
blood pressure.
Listening to music for at least 30 minutes a day can lower blood pressure, slow down
heart rate and decrease anxiety.
One of the most damaging things to your heart is high blood pressure.
But you can control its levels by taking care of your diet.
Learn more by watching:
13 Beverages That Will Reduce Your Blood Pressure Immediately
Or
13 Foods That Raise Blood Pressure, According To Dietitians
So go ahead and watch one or both of these videos for maximum benefits.
What’s your favourite heart healthy activity?
Let us know in the comments section below!