Family Health

healthy heart

8 Steps to a healthy heart and life.

Think of them as stair steps. Expect to put out some effort, but consider the reward  each one adds another layer of protection against heart attack.

  These steps work for men and women of all ages and races. In fact, studies suggest that if enough people adopt them, they could cause a worldwide reduction in heart attacks.

1. Don't Smoke

Smoking more than doubles your risk for heart attack and makes it less likely that you'll survive one. It damages your heart on it's own, and it interacts with other factors to make them more dangerous. Breathing secondhand smoke is also bad for your heart. If you smoke... quit. Within teo years of quitting, your heart attack risk will decrease by one-third.  

2. Keep your weight down

Even with no other risks, being overweight or obese makes you more likely to have a heart disease _ especially if you tend to carry extra body fat around your waist. Loosing as few as 10 pounds can lower your risk. Start by eating a heart-healthy diet and getting more exercise.

3. Eat fruits and vegetables

These foods contain nutrients and phytonutrients (beneficial compounds found in plant foods) that promote a health heart. The more colorful foods are, the more nutritious they are.

A heart-healthy diet also means limiting saturated fats, cutting back on salt, and getting plenty of whole grains and low-fat or nonfat dairy products.

4. Exercise - Get the blood flowing

being inactive is a major risk of heart disease. Think of couch times as a drain on your heart health account, and work to build it back up. That means at least 30 minutes of moderate activity a day, five days a week. You can begin by dividing thath into 10-minute segments, but try to increase your overall activity over times.

Walking is a good start, and if you can move up to more vigorous activities - like jogging, bicycling or swimming - that's even better.

5. Control your cholesterol

This sis the waxy, fatlike substance in your bloodstream that clogs your arteries and set you up for a heart attack. Healthy lifestyle choices, such as eating right and staying active, are the first steps for controlling cholesterol, although some people will need to take medicine.

6. Control your blood pressure

High blood pressure or hypertension, increases your heart's workload and makes a heart attack more likely. "Eating healthy and exercising regularly can help keep your blood pressure in check. If your doctor recommends blood pressure medicine, be sure to stay with it.

7.Get rid of your stress

Stress can lead to unhealthy habits, such as smoking or overeating. It also acts on it own to release stress hormones, such as adrenaline. These hormones help us   act in emergencies, such as jumping out of the way of a car. But long term stress can keep your heart rate and blood pressure high and damage blood vessels

You can start lowering your stress with strategies like exercising, adjusting your responses and taking time for yourself.

8. Control your diabetes

People with diabetes are much more likely to have a heart attack and survive it. Some of these steps listed, such as staying active and maintaining a healthy weight, can prevent the disease.

If you have diabetes, you can help keep it under control with a healthy diet, exercise and medication.