Sounds simple, doesn’t it? “Heart disease” is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. Stroke is the No.5 cause of death in the United States. One of the biggest contributors to these statistics is a lack of commitment to a heart healthy lifestyle. Your lifestyle is not only your best defense against cardiovascular disease and stroke, it’s also your responsibility. A heart-healthy lifestyle includes the ideas listed below.
Healthy nutrient rich diet
The first thing that you need to change about your routine is to maintain a healthy diet including nutrient rich food. You should remember that nutrition is the key to overall health. A healthy diet consisting of nutritious foods such as 1.5 servings which is 43 grams of almonds everyday will lower LDL cholesterol and reduce levels of heart damaging inflammation. Other healthy food options that you can try to include in your diet are dates, walnuts, leafy green vegetables, wild salmon or other cold water fish that provide a good good source of Omega-3.
Stop smoking
We all know that smoking is injurious to our body in many ways. It can damage the linings of the arteries with aids in fat deposit and clogging. Smoking can lead to many diseases such as stroke, angina or a heart attack.
Physical activity
A healthy diet alone will not help you to stay fit and keep your cardiovascular system healthy; you need to also indulge in physical activities. Exercise will lower blood pressure, and help build the muscle needed. As per the American Heart Association, 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise every week, is recommended for improvement in heart health. You can also do just 75 minutes of high-intensity workout to gain the same results.
Maintain a healthy waistline
It is said that a healthy waistline is directly proportional to cardiovascular health because abdominal fat is linked to increased blood sugar levels and high blood pressure. And, this is a risk factor for various cardiovascular diseases. Avoid indulging in unhealthy snacks, instead have nuts like almonds, a study suggests that eating almonds everyday reduces belly fat and waist circumference.
Keep your ABC in check
ABC stands for A1C, Blood Sugar, and Cholesterol respectively. You need to keep in check all these three factors for your heart health. A1C, a test to check for glycated hemoglobin, which is essential to keep ABC levels in check for a healthier heart. Ensure you also monitor your blood sugar and cholesterol level and attempt to maintain the levels within prescribed limits.
