When we talk about the heart we essentially talk about life. Our heart is beating continuously pumping blood through our body. We don’t even realize it on the daily basis but our heart keeps working tirelessly. Not only that, even the emotions we feel, and that which makes us humans, although not the function of the heart is generally attributed to it. When a person falls in love with someone it is physiologically the brain and the hormones that are playing a role in this feeling but it is the heart that is always spoken for.
A breakup is metaphorically referred to as heartbreak and not brain damage! The heartbeat is something the doctor looks for, which tells whether the person is alive or has lost their life. It may not be the biggest organ in the body but the heart surely is an organ of supremacy whose importance is well understood unfortunately when its functioning has been hampered. Hence it becomes trivial that you keep your heart healthy and protect it not just from heart breaks but from many other things that may be harming it.
In this world of constant pressure, many factors lead to different heart diseases. Heart diseases are the leading cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year according to the World Health Organization statistics.
How then can you protect your heart health? Let us dive more into this topic in the following article.
Keeping your heart healthy may be easier said than done, primarily because it involves changing lifestyle habits or incorporating new ones. Below are a few tips you can use to keep your heart healthy.
Avoid Smoking
First things first, smoking causes more harm than anything else to your body. No matter what reason you have started smoking, it is always healthy to quit the habit not only for your heart health but also for those around you. Epidemiologic studies have supported the assumption that cigarette smoking increases the incidence of heart attacks and other heart-related diseases. This is true for any products containing tobacco including low-tar cigarettes and smokeless tobacco (1).
Say No to Alcohol
Light to moderate alcohol intake, defined as the average consumption of 1 to 2 drinks per day has shown to have a protective effect on the heart according to many studies (2). But this does not mean one consumes alcohol unchecked. Studies have also shown that alcohol consumption is one of the major factors inducing cardiac diseases worldwide, mainly when it is consumed at high doses as in binging episodes.
Healthy Diet
Diet plays an important role in keeping your heart in a good state of function. Dietary components of particular interest include total and saturated fat, cholesterol, and fiber.
Regarding high-fat diets, among adults there is no nutritional advantage in consuming these diets once essential energy and nutrient needs are met. Low-fat diets are often lower in cholesterol and higher in antioxidants and are therefore beneficial to heart health.
Now cholesterol in the body is in different forms. The two most common forms you may have heard about would be HDL (high-density lipoprotein) and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. HDL is referred to as good cholesterol while LDL is the bad cholesterol that constitutes a major risk factor for forming plaque-like structures that narrow blood vessels and lead to further damage to the heart. Fibre on the other hand has been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels in several studies (4).
Limit Salt Intake
The role of salt, principally sodium chloride, as a determinant of blood pressure levels and a cause of hypertension has been under study for many decades (4). Salt intake should not be more than 6 g per day according to Indian standards (5). Foodstuffs high in salt are papads, pickles, sauces, ketchup, salted biscuits, chips, cheese, and salted fish. These should be consumed in limited quantities.
Ditch the Sedentary Lifestyle
Physical inactivity is the major factor that contributes to heart diseases. Majority of the heart diseases are considered to be lifestyle diseases that occur due to the stationery life we live nowadays. This leads to overweight and obesity which is again a major contributing factor to heart diseases. Studies have shown that measures of sedentary lifestyles have been associated with a 1.5- to 2.4-fold elevation in heart disease risk (6).
Keep your body weight in check by engaging in some form of physical activity including strength training regularly. Try incorporating small changes in your daily routine like taking the steps instead of the elevator, walking to the grocery store, or just taking a break and strolling around your office space if you are sitting for a long time. This will not only keep your weight in check but will also promote your heart health!
Sound Sleep
Several systematic reviews have shown that sleep deprivation is associated with important heart-related health outcomes including not only hypertension but also other cardiovascular diseases (7). Insomnia or inability to sleep may lead to higher stress levels, less motivation to be physically active, and unhealthy food choices. Adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day. Not only the time but the quality of sleep is important too and although it is a very subjective matter “feeling fresh” after waking up in the morning is a major indicator of good quality of sleep.
Stress-Busting Activities
It is true that in today’s hectic world all of us are under a tremendous amount of pressure be it at work or home. We always fall short of time to do anything, even if that means pursuing a hobby or doing things that we used to love doing. It is important to remember that, no matter what, this stress is going to negatively affect our overall health including heart health. Although we cannot eliminate this stress there are ways in which we can overcome it.
It is never too late to start doing those things that you may have done in your childhood. Start painting something you always wanted to, read that book you had shortlisted, play with your pets, enjoy a movie night with your spouse, or go for the trip to your dream destination. In short, find your happy bubble!
The health of your heart is in your hands and especially in the choices you make. Healthy lifestyle choices go a long way in reducing heart diseases and prolonging heart health. It is difficult to change the long-set habits but nothing is impossible too!
Hope these tips add years to your heart. How did you like these tips? Do let us know in the comments section below.
Author: Dr Pooja Nilgar (Content writer and editor)
References
- Gallucci, G., Tartarone, A., Lerose, R., Lalinga, A.V. and Capobianco, A.M., 2020. Cardiovascular risk of smoking and benefits of smoking cessation. Journal of thoracic disease, 12(7), p.3866.
- Agarwal, D.P., 2002. Cardioprotective effects of light–moderate consumption of alcohol: a review of putative mechanisms. Alcohol and alcoholism, 37(5), pp.409-415.
- Fernández-Solà, J. and Planavila Porta, A., 2016. New treatment strategies for alcohol-induced heart damage. International journal of molecular sciences, 17(10), p.1651.
- Musaiger, A.O., 2002. Diet and prevention of coronary heart disease in the Arab Middle East countries. Medical principles and practice, 11(Suppl. 2), pp.9-16.
- 2011. Dietary guidelines for Indians. Nat Inst Nutrition, 2, pp.89-117.
- Rastogi, T., Vaz, M., Spiegelman, D., Reddy, K.S., Bharathi, A.V., Stampfer, M.J., Willett, W.C. and Ascherio, A., 2004. Physical activity and risk of coronary heart disease in India. International journal of epidemiology, 33(4), pp.759-767.
- Itani, O., Jike, M., Watanabe, N. and Kaneita, Y., 2017. Short sleep duration and health outcomes: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression. Sleep medicine, 32, pp.246-256.
