Taking care of our heart can be life insurance to stay in good health in the long term. According to specialists, between 80% and 90% of heart attacks are associated with modifiable risk factors through healthy habits, so it is essential to keep certain factors at bay.
Monitor blood pressure
Hypertension is the first risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Badly managed it can lead to a heart attack, a stroke and other serious problems. It can be caused by being overweight, stress sustained over time, and also unhealthy dietary habits and a sedentary lifestyle.
Type 2 diabetes
Diabetes is another major cardiovascular risk factor. That is why we must try to prevent it and in case of suffering it, keep it under control. With type 2 diabetes, the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells do not use it. This is known as insulin resistance.
Overweight and physical inactivity increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, so it would be convenient to work on these two points.
Tobacco? No, thanks
Tobacco is the second cause of cardiovascular disease, only ahead of hypertension, among other reasons because it accelerates atherosclerosis, which is the disease of the arteries. Quitting smoking is the first step to a healthy life. Another good reason is knowing that on average smokers live 15 years less than non-smokers.
Physical activity and sport
It is estimated that 30% of ischemic heart disease (heart attack and angina pectoris) are mainly due to a sedentary lifestyle. To combat it, we just have to introduce exercise into our daily routine, allocating some daily time to sports. As for the discipline to choose, our advice is always to find a sport that you like and start with it. Then you can include aerobic or strength routines that have been shown to maintain cardiovascular health.
Overweight and obesity
A prevention tool for cardiovascular health is to maintain a correct weight. Being overweight is associated with many problems such as diabetes and hypertension, which we have already seen do not help keep our hearts healthy.