Did you know that every 36 seconds, someone in America dies of cardiovascular complications?
Well, cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the country. The most concerning fact, however, is that heart disease is also the leading cause of death worldwide.
You’re probably wondering where we’re going wrong as humans to the point that heart problems have become so prevalent.
The answer is simple: poor lifestyle choices.
Still, you can always make changes that’ll allow your heart to remain healthy. You’re not out of options. In this post, we highlight some of the most powerful methods you can use to strengthen your heart.
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Start Exercising
Exercising is one of the most effective ways of combating heart disease. Ideally, you need to put in at least 150 hours of exercising per week to keep your body and heart in a top-notch condition.
Still, everyone’s strength and commitment vary.
Suppose you can spare 10 minutes every day to work out. In that case, it’ll make all the difference because someone who is physically inactive is two times more likely to develop heart disease compared to someone who maintains an active lifestyle.
Intense physical activities that spike your heart rate effectively boost circulation, lower cholesterol levels, manage blood pressure, and lower blood sugar.
Remember, you don’t need to hit the gym to enjoy the benefits of working out. Simple exercises and activities that make you break a sweat work just fine.
If you’re not up for intense aerobic exercises, these activities can also help:
- Walking
- Taking on the stairs
- Yoga
- Dancing
- Cycling
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Start Eating Well
What you eat will make or break you, and that’s not just a figure of speech. If you consume unhealthy food, your body will pay the price.
Certain foods increase your risk of developing heart disease. Stay away from foods containing a lot of cholesterol, sugar, salt, and saturated fats.
A balanced diet is the place to start, then throw in foods that are good for heart health, such as:
- Leafy green veggies: spinach, cauliflower, arugula, and lettuce
- Spices: ginger, garlic, caraway seeds, and black pepper
- Oily fish: salmon, mackerel, tuna, and trout
- Fruits: oranges, blueberry, banana, apple, and kiwi fruit
- Nuts: almonds, pecans, and walnuts
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Cut Some Weight
One of the major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases is being overweight. If you’re overweight, you also increase your chances of developing other conditions typically linked to heart diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension.
Shading the extra weight allows you to fight off serious conditions and lead a healthier life.
If you’re not sure how to start losing weight, talk to your healthcare provider to see what options are available.
Most likely, you’ll be asked to consult a dietician who’ll help you create a healthy meal plan. You then need to start exercising. If you can’t do it yourself, work with a fitness trainer.
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Use Smoking Alternatives
Smoking is a huge risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, right up there with high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol. It’s also a huge health risk overall as it harms your lungs and heightens your risk of developing cancer.
You’re better off not smoking because it won’t matter if you’re doing everything else right.
Besides, nowadays, you have alternative ways of ingesting nicotine, such as over-the-counter patches, sprays, gums, and lozenges.
Smoking isn’t just about cigarettes, though.
Marijuana is a drug that is popularly smoked. While the plant is recognized for its medicinal properties, smoking it results in more harm than good.
If you’re a weed user, it’s crucial to educate yourself about the ways of benefiting from cannabis without smoking.
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Get Into Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a practice that’s coupled with meditation to ease the mind. The technique allows you to focus on the present, experiencing your surroundings without the negative emotions associated with judging everything.
Regularly practicing mindfulness and meditation is one of the best ways to combat stress and emotional pain. Considering stress is a major cause of high blood pressure, eliminating it means removing one of the biggest risk factors of heart disease.
Final Thoughts
Your heart is your lifeline, and having a healthy tinker should be at the top of your priorities. Neglecting heart health eventually leads to cardiovascular diseases, which significantly reduce the quality of life.
