The heart is a vital organ in sustaining life. If the heart continues to beat, so can a person continue to breathe and live. But what if something goes unnaturally wrong and the heart is compromised? What if the heart acquired an unfathomable disease and can bring life at stake? When the heart cannot function at its optimum capacity, other vital organs may also follow. It can lead to various complications that can eventually turn the world upside down.
There are certain factors that increase the risks of acquiring heart diseases which a person simply cannot escape. For instance, as a person age, the higher the risk is in having such disease. Genetics can also be a reason for you to acquire a heart ailment and no one’s to be blamed for that. But these risks of having a heart disease can be reduced and prevented. It takes only a matter of discipline and living a healthy lifestyle. If your heart is still healthy and well, here are some guidelines that you can live by to maintain a strong and fit heart.
1. Treat and control high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes
If your blood pressure is high, it is important that you make sure it returns to the ideal blood pressure rate. Cholesterol is a fat that can be found in the blood and other parts of the body. It is needed in small amounts but accumulation of cholesterol can lead to the clogging of arteries. Diabetes is a disease that is accompanied with a high level of sugar in the body. It is important to control these diseases since it will sooner or later damage the artery walls and increase your risk of having a heart ailment.
2. Quit smoking and avoid second-hand smoke
Smoking is a risk that can heighten one’s likelihood of acquiring a heart disease. Chemicals that can be found on cigarettes can damage and narrow the pathway of blood near the heart area. This pushes the heart to work harder in pumping blood to provide enough oxygen. This in turn can lead to a high blood pressure. Second-hand smoke is much more dangerous for non-smokers since they cannot breathe out the carbon dioxide inhaled in the system compared to the smokers wherein they can blow out some of that carbon-dioxide. There is more to gain in stopping early than quitting when it’s all too late.
3. Lose weight
Obesity increases one’s risk in acquiring heart diseases. Along with being obese, the tendency of also having a high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes is huge. It is ideal to maintain the appropriate Body Mass Index (BMI) of an individual.
4. Reduce sweets in the diet
Since diabetes can be a precursor of having a heart disease, reducing your sugar intake is a must to lessen the risk of suffering from both a heart disease and diabetes. Controlling sweets in one’s diet is like hitting two birds with one stone.
5. Limit alcohol
The amount of alcohol taken in could either help you get away from having heart diseases or it could push you nearer to acquiring it. Heavy drinkers are more prone to develop heart diseases since alcohol can raise the blood pressure and destroy the heart muscle. Drinking way too much can not only increase the risk of developing heart diseases but it can also lead to cancer.
6. Regular check-up
It is always better to know the status of your health. Scheduling a regular check-up to the doctor’s clinic can be really beneficial. Through regular check-ups, you can assess if your heart is still unflawed and if it is functioning well.
It is already given that once a person practices a good and healthy lifestyle, the risk of attaining heart diseases or any other horrific ailments can be prevented. If one takes good care of his body, then in the long run, he will surely reap the rewards.
