A healthy lifestyle is the key to a healthy heart. The heart is a vital muscle that delivers nutrients throughout your body. Like any other muscle, the heart needs to be maintained with regular exercise. You need to break as many risky habits as possible. For some, it means changing various aspects of their daily life. However, you will still get great benefits even if it only reduces some of the risk factors for heart health.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Maintaining a Healthy Heart Lifestyle
Step 1. Quit smoking
Smoking increases the risk of a heart attack. Both tobacco and nicotine contain various chemicals that are harmful to the circulatory system and heart. All of these chemicals can cause atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the buildup of cholesterol, fat, and calcium plaques in your circulatory system, leading to narrowing of the arteries and reduced blood flow.
- Carbon monoxide contained in cigarette smoke is also associated with mortality and morbidity rates. Carbon monoxide disrupts the structure of oxygen. Thus, your heart is forced to work harder to supply additional oxygen. Narrowing of the arteries as well as excess pressure in the heart can cause a heart attack. The only way to stop this stress on the heart is to quit smoking.
- In Indonesia, every hour there are 46 people who die from smoking. According to the Ministry of Health, 1 in 5 cancer deaths in the world is due to lung cancer, of which 70% is caused by smoking.
Step 2. Exercise regularly every day
One way to strengthen muscles is to exercise, as well as for your heart. The following are the recommendations of the United States Heart Association:
- 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per day. This exercise will improve blood circulation in the body and improve heart health. Ideally 5 days (150 minutes) per week.
- Or: 25 minutes of high-intensity aerobic exercise per day. Do it at least 3 days per week, for a total of 75 minutes per week.
- In addition to aerobic exercise, also practice weight training at least 2 days per week.
- Create a healthy routine. Start with what you can handle, then increase the difficulty systematically to the best of your ability. If you exercise too hard, your heart will suffer. If you have health problems, first consult with a doctor before starting to exercise.
Step 3. Maintain a healthy weight
If you are overweight, your heart needs to work harder to maintain a normal heart rate. This constant excess pressure can lead to heart health problems in the future. You can lose heart-pounding weight with exercise and a healthy diet. There are many heart problems that can arise from being overweight, including:
- Coronary heart disease: a disease caused by plaque buildup in the arteries that connect to the heart. This buildup of plaque causes narrowing of the arteries and reduces blood flow. Thus, the amount of oxygen supplied throughout your body is reduced. Your heart needs to work harder to send blood through those already narrow channels, causing angina (chest pain due to oxygen deprivation) or even a heart attack.
- High blood pressure. Because your heart needs to pump harder in order to deliver adequate amounts of oxygen and nutrients throughout your body, your heart and arteries will damage over time. Your risk of high blood pressure is greater if you are obese or overweight.
- strokes. If plaque that has built up in your arteries ruptures, it can cause blood clots to form. If this blood clot forms close to the brain, your brain will not get a supply of blood and oxygen, and you will have a stroke.
Step 4. Check your blood pressure and cholesterol level regularly
This way, you will clearly know the health of your heart and be able to immediately deal with any problems that may arise.
- Check your blood pressure. You need to check your blood pressure regularly every two years. If your blood pressure is above 120/80, your doctor may recommend checking your blood pressure annually (or closer, depending on your blood pressure and other history such as kidney problems, heart disease, etc.). Your workplace or pharmacy may also provide automatic blood pressure checking machine. Use the tool as often as you want, to be a side note when you consult a doctor. If your blood pressure is above 140/90 and your doctor doesn't know yet, you need to consult a doctor as soon as possible.
- Find out your cholesterol level. All men over the age of 34 should have their cholesterol checked every five years. Checking cholesterol levels is done by taking a blood sample and testing it in a laboratory. The doctor will explain the results to you. If you have risk factors that predispose you to high cholesterol levels, it's best to have your screening checked starting at the age of 20. Included in these risk factors are a small family medical history or a history of diabetes or heart disease. Depending on the results, your doctor may ask you to check your cholesterol level more often.
Step 5. Avoid excessive stress
Stress plays a big role in your heart health. High stress releases the hormones cortisol and adrenaline, which raise blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Behaviors that cause stress can negatively affect your health, which can lead to smoking more, drinking more alcohol, eating too much, and not exercising. Such behaviors will negatively affect your heart health.
You can reduce stress by exercising, changing your diet, and quitting smoking and drinking coffee. It's good all of these things you do, especially when you're stressed
Step 6. Take care of your mental health
Certain mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder, can interfere with your heart health. Symptoms of these disorders include overeating or eating little, apathy, not exercising, stress, higher blood pressure, and various other symptoms that interfere with your heart health.
If you are diagnosed with a mental disorder or you think you have a mental disorder, you should immediately consult a doctor. Only a doctor can treat your mental disorder and determine its effect on your physical health
Part 2 of 2: Eating a Heart Healthy Diet
Step 1. Eat a healthy diet
Avoid foods that contain trans fats and saturated fats, such as red meat, fried fast food, and processed foods. Also avoid foods with high salt and cholesterol content. However, fish that contain omega-3 acids such as salmon or mackerel can reduce the risk of heart disease. The following are some of the foods listed in the American Heart Association's dietary recommendations (which will be explained in more detail in the next section):
- Fruits and vegetables
- Whole Grain
- Low-fat dairy products
- Chicken and eggs
- Peanuts and fish
Step 2. Add heart-friendly "superfoods" to your diet
"Superfoods" are a category of foods that are beneficial to your health. This term is not used by nutritionists, but many foods in this category are highly nutritional and may provide higher health benefits than regular foods. Foods that fall into this category are:
- Avocado. Avocado is considered a "super food" because of its high monounsaturated fat content. Unlike saturated fat, monounsaturated fat is liquid at room temperature and can lower cholesterol levels. Avocados also contain phytosterols, which are as important to the body as cholesterol, and they compete with each other for absorption by the body. Thus, you absorb less cholesterol and lower the level of cholesterol in the blood.
- Extra virgin olive oil. Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats, which can lower "bad" cholesterol (LDL cholesterol). Olive oil can also prevent blood clots from forming. In addition, this oil can even stabilize blood sugar levels.
- Nuts. Nuts are a source of plant-based nutrients that contain vitamins, fiber, minerals, and unsaturated fats. Various studies have shown that these substances are beneficial for the heart, can increase levels of good cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) and lower levels of bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol). Furthermore, nuts can also lower your blood pressure.
- Quinoa (quinoa). It is a staple food in South America. This food is rich in protein, contains vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
- Dark chocolate. This type of chocolate contains lots of flavonoids, which can lower your blood pressure. Although the benefits for the heart are many, dark chocolate also contains a lot of calories and cannot be eaten in large quantities.
- Salmon. Salmon is a very healthy source of protein. Salmon also contains omega-3 acids (fish oil) which are beneficial for heart health.
- Oatmeal. Oatmeal can help reduce the absorption of cholesterol by the blood. Steel-cut wheat benefits the most because of its higher absorption time and its low glycemic index. A low glycemic index means that your blood sugar level will not suddenly rise drastically. This helps prevent heart disease.
- Orange. Rich in liquid fiber which can help reduce cholesterol absorption. Oranges also contain potassium (which helps balance the iodine content in the body) and vitamin C.
- Peas. All types of peas contain a lot of vegetable protein, fiber, and minerals. Peas are as beneficial as steel-cut oats, which can help lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure, with a low glycemic index.
Step 3. Stay away from foods that are detrimental to your heart health
Avoid foods rich in saturated fat, trans fat, high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, and cholesterol. Usually, foods that fall into this category are red meat, fast food, fried foods, chips, soda, excess butter, and so on. Most people already know that the food they eat is unhealthy. Use your common sense, pay attention to nutritional value labels on food packaging. The label can help you find out the various substances in the packaging you buy and the amount as a percentage of the body's daily needs.
Step 4. Cut down on alcohol to a healthy dose
According to the American Heart Association, a heart-beneficial dose of alcohol is two drinks a day for men, and a glass for women. More than that will actually harm the heart.
- Alcohol can cause high blood pressure, stroke, and obesity if consumed in excess.
- In addition, alcohol can also raise triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are a group of fats that can cause pancreatic disorders. Excessive alcohol consumption in the long term can cause permanent pancreatic damage (chronic pancreatic disorders).
Step 5. Add dietary supplements to your diet
Although you should get most of your nutrition from your daily diet, you can also take supplements to add a variety of nutrients that you feel are lacking. The following nutrients are actually already present in the superfoods mentioned above and have been shown to benefit heart health.
- Vitamins and minerals. Complete your diet with heart-healthy vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin K, vitamin E, and magnesium.
- Vegetables. Garlic, Echinacea purpurea, and ginseng are believed to be beneficial for heart health.
- Other. If you don't like eating fish, which can benefit your heart, buy omega-3 acid pills and coenzyme Q10.
