The
heart is the most important organ of the body. The function of this
muscular organ is to pump blood throughout the body through repetitive
contractions. It is basically the organ that keeps every human being
alive because it pumps blood that contains oxygen and nutrients to the
parts of the body, as well as blood that contains excretory waste
products of metabolism to the organs intended to send them out of the
body. This organ is so vital that it has to be kept healthy all the
time. Normally, factors that take their toll on the heart are poor diet
and lifestyle. In order to have a healthy heart, a person has to make
sure that he treats his body right through eating a balanced diet,
engaging in physical activities, managing stress well and getting rid of
habits that are dangerous to the heart. Here are 10 tips to have a
healthy heart:
10. Read food labels.
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When
you go to the grocery store to shop for foods, make sure that you read
the food label of each food supply first before putting it in your cart.
Every food packet has a label on it which informs the buyer about the
nutrients and other substances that the food contains. Understanding
what substances you should get rid of when buying food is one of the
keys in having a healthy heart. Those that have high amounts of sugar,
cholesterol and saturated fats are a big no-no.
9. Check your family history.
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If
a person comes from a family with a history of heart diseases, he is
more likely to develop heart disease too at some point in his life.
Checking your family history is important in having a healthy heart
because when one knows that developing heart diseases runs in his blood,
he will be able to find the need to be more cautious when it comes to
his habits such as smoking, drinking and too much eating. Knowing that
one is at high risk of developing higher risk will give him the urge to
take care of his body well.
8. Learn to manage your stress levels.
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For
someone who wants to keep his heart healthy, learning to manage his
stress levels is important. Stress is a major factor that affects the
health of the heart. When a person is stressed out, he has the tendency
to fail to eat properly and to have the urge to smoke and drink more.
When stress is not managed well, it could lead to raised blood pressure
and weight gain as one resorts to stress-eating.
7. Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked regularly.
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Technically
speaking, people who have higher cholesterol levels are more likely to
suffer from heart diseases than those who have low levels. Same goes for
blood pressure, where people who have higher blood pressure have
shorter life expectancy than those who have low blood pressure. A person
who has high cholesterol levels have more fatty deposits in his blood,
and these deposits are among the major factors that affect blood
circulation and lead to the development of coronary heart disease and
stroke.
6. Manage your weight.
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People
who are overweight and obese carry a lot of extra weight in their
bodies in the form of fats. When there is too much fat in the body,
there is a higher risk of life-threatening conditions such as Type II
diabetes and coronary heart disease. Keeping your weight normal helps
prevent the development of heart diseases, high blood pressure and
stroke. A person who is obese should start managing his weight by eating
right and becoming more active.
5. Get active.
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Another
great way of having a healthy heart is by exercise. Engaging in
physical activities makes the heart become strong enough to be able to
pump more blood through the body and work at a maximum level without
much strain. Recent studies have shown that people who exercise
regularly have a slower resting heart rate because the heart needs less
effort to pump blood. Physically active people also have lower risk of
heart disease. 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise every day is
good for the heart.
4. Monitor your alcohol.
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Based
on studies, long-term drinking can cause severe damages to the heart as
it increases blood pressure, damages the heart muscles and leads to
weight gain. When a person drinks for a long period of time, his heart
muscles weaken, leading to a condition known as alcoholic
cardiomyopathy– the thickening of the heart muscle between the
ventricles of the heart. While it is not inherently bad to drink, people
who take alcohol should set limitations for themselves to maintain a
healthy heart.
3. Watch your diet.
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Diet
is a very important factor that people who want to have a healthy heart
should always keep an eye on. Having a healthy diet lets one reduce his
risk of developing heart diseases, especially coronary heart disease.
Aside from that, a healthy diet also increases one’s chances of
surviving a heart attack. Eating a balanced diet that contains plenty of
oily fish, starchy foods and fruits and vegetables helps one get rid of
substances that are bad for the heart, such as too much saturated fat
and sugar.
2. Cut down on salt.
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Eating
too much salt leads to raised blood pressure. Salt makes the body hold
more water, and when the body stores too much water, blood pressure
shoots up. Initially, too much salt intake causes a slight decrease in
the amount of blood reaching the heart. When this happens, the heart
does not work well as it should because it does not receive enough
oxygen. If someone eats too much salt for a long period of time, high
blood pressure may be already be too severe that the arteries become
entirely clogged, resulting to heart attack. This is why patients who
have heart failure are advised to avoid foods with too much sodium.
1. Quit Smoking.
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Smoking
is one of the most dangerous habits anyone can have. Based on studies,
someone who smokes is more likely to suffer from heart attack than
someone who does not. Smoking affects the structure of the heart and the
function of the blood vessels as it causes a buildup of plaque in the
arteries. When this happens, coronary heart disease develops. This
disease stems from the hardening of the plaque and the narrowing of the
arteries, limiting the flow of oxygen-rich blood to and from the heart.
The moment a smoker stops smoking, his risk of developing heart diseases
begins to reduce. I hope you have enjoyed reading this top 10 list for
more great lists you can always visit Addictive Lists.
