Your Heart is a vital organ that pumps blood throughout your body. Keeping your heart healthy is important for your overall health and well-being. There are many things you can do to keep your heart healthy, including eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, managing stress, and getting enough sleep.
Here are seven simple ways to keep your heart healthy, backed by science:
- Eat a heart-healthy diet
- Get regular exercise
- Yoga for Hearth Health
- Regular Health Checkup
- Get enough sleep
- Quit Smoking
- Maintain a healthy weight
1. Eat a Heart-Healthy Diet
A heart-healthy diet includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It also limits saturated and unhealthy fats, cholesterol, and sodium. Evidence
Here are some specific tips:
- Healthy vegetarian diets have the strongest evidence to-date for the reduction of CVD risk.
- Increase the consumption of vegetables, and fruits.
- Choose whole grains over refined grains.
- Limit saturated and unhealthy fats by choosing lean protein sources, such as fish, chicken, and beans, and by using healthy oils, such as sunflower oil, rice bran oil,
- Limit cholesterol by eating less than 200 milligrams per day.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults consume less than 5 grams of salt per day, which is equivalent to about one teaspoon. However, the average Indian adult consumes about 11 grams of salt per day, which is more than twice the recommended amount.
2. Do regular exercise
Do at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week. Moderate-intensity exercise is any activity that makes you breathe harder but still allows you to talk in complete sentences. Some examples of moderate-intensity exercise include brisk walking, swimming, and biking.
3. Yoga for Heart Health
Yoga is a mind-body practice that combines physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation.
It has been shown to have a number of health benefits, including reducing stress, improving cardiovascular health, and promoting weight loss and maintenance. Evidence
Join Online Yoga Classes: Take a Free Trail
Yoga can be beneficial in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease and that it can play a primary or a complementary role in this regard. Evidence
Here are some of the benefits of yoga for heart health:
Reduces stress: Stress is a major risk factor for Heart Disease. Yoga has been shown to be effective at reducing stress, which can lead to improved heart health. Stress reduction may be attributed to sympathetic-vagal balance modulated by mind⁻body exercises.
Tai Chi/Yoga could be an alternative method for stress reduction for people who live under high stress or negative emotions. Evidence
Improves blood pressure: Yoga can help to lower blood pressure by relaxing the blood vessels and improving circulation.
Lowers cholesterol levels: Yoga can help to lower cholesterol levels by improving fat metabolism and reducing inflammation.
Increases physical activity: Yoga is a form of physical activity that can help to improve cardiovascular health and reduce inflammation.
Improves sleep quality: Sleep is essential for good health, and poor sleep quality can contribute to heart disease and other cardiovascular problems. Yoga has been shown to improve sleep quality by reducing stress and anxiety.
Promotes weight loss and maintenance: Obesity is a risk factor for heart disease. Yoga can help to promote weight loss and maintenance by increasing physical activity and reducing stress.
4. Regular Health Checkup
Regular health checkups are important for detecting and managing heart disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
During a health checkup, your doctor will measure your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar levels.
They will also ask about your medical history and lifestyle habits. If you have any risk factors for heart disease, your doctor can work with you to develop a plan to reduce your risk.
Full Body Health Checkup @ Rs. 949/only
5. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is essential for good health, and poor sleep quality can contribute to heart disease and other cardiovascular problems. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
Sleep disorders, such as sleep-disordered breathing, insomnia, sleep fragmentation, and sleep deprivation are associated with the deterioration in human body functioning and increased cardiovascular risks. Evidence
6. Quit Smoking
Smoking damages the heart and blood vessels by making it harder for blood to flow to the heart. This can lead to heart attack and stroke.
Epidemiologic studies have established worldwide that cigarette smoke exposure is an important cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Evidence
The good news is that the damage caused by smoking is reversible. If you quit smoking, your body will start to repair the damage. Within one year of quitting smoking, your risk of heart attack drops by half.
7. Maintain a Healthy Weight
According to the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5), which was conducted in India in 2019-21, about one in four adults is overweight. This means that 23% of women and 22.1% of men in India are overweight.
Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing heart disease. Evidence
Top 5 Yoga Poses for Weight Loss
Conclusion
Heart health is important for everyone. By following the tips in this article, you can improve your heart health and reduce your risk of developing heart disease.
It is important to note that this article is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have any concerns about your heart health, please talk to your doctor.
FAQs
What is the best diet for heart health?
A heart-healthy diet includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It also limits saturated and unhealthy fats, cholesterol, and sodium.
How much exercise do I need to improve my heart health?
Always do at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week.
What are some ways to manage stress?
There are many different ways to manage stress, such as exercise, yoga, meditation, and spending time with loved ones.
How much sleep do I need to improve my heart health?
7-8 hours of sleep each night is good for your heart health.
What are some ways to improve my social connections?
Spend time with loved ones, join a community or group, and volunteer in your community.
What are some ways to improve my emotional well-being?
Practice gratitude, spend time with loved ones, get involved in your community, take care of your physical health, and seek professional help if needed.
What are the symptoms of a heart attack?
The most common symptom of a heart attack is chest pain or discomfort. Other symptoms may include shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness, and sweating.
If I think I’m having a heart attack, what should I do?
Consult your Doctor immediately.
Can I prevent heart disease?
Yes, there are many things you can do to prevent heart disease, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, managing stress, getting enough sleep, and controlling your cholesterol and blood pressure.
If I have risk factors for heart disease, what should I do?
Talk to your doctor about your risk factors and how to manage them.
What are the treatments for heart disease?
There are many different treatments for heart disease, depending on the type and severity of the disease. Treatments may include medication, surgery, and lifestyle changes.
The post 7 Simple Ways to Keep Your Heart Healthy: Backed by Science appeared first on My Yoga Ayurveda.
