Heart Disease : Tips to prevent The No1 Killer Globally
24-07-2019 | Posted By: Chhavi | 7849 View(s)
When it comes to health disorders, we often worry about cancer. It is true that cancer is a deadly disease, but is it the only severe disease that kills people every year worldwide? No, it is not! According to research, roughly a third of all deaths around the world are the result of heart disease, making the cardiovascular disease the number one killer globally.
Every year, the American Heart Association, in conjunction with National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other government agencies, compiles up-to-date statistics on heart disease, vascular disease, and stroke in the Heart Disease and Stroke Statistical Update. This is done to provide a major source for monitoring cardiovascular health and disease in the population.
According to statistics, One person dies every 33 seconds due to a heart attack! The current status of India concerning heart disease is alarming; a report suggests that the burden of cardiovascular diseases in our country will surpass that of any other country in the world by the year 2020. Keeping your heart in good health is crucial. Doing so is not that tough, you just have to make little efforts. What you have to do is be active, eat well and take good care of your health! Is it so tough? We can at least follow the Golden Rules to Prevent Heart Diseases and lower risk of getting any disease. Heart problems or diseases are one of those leading causes of death in our country and all over the world! This article is just to remind you how important it is to take care of your heart!
Here is a Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics 2018 At-a-Glance:
According to the reports by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Indian Council of Medical Research, and the Public Health Foundation of India, heart disease was the biggest killer in India in the year 2016, accounting for 28.1 per cent of all deaths in India.
According to medical research conducted by The International Congestive Heart Failure, India leads to deaths from heart failure. The study aimed at measuring mortality across a year in patients who have suffered from heart attacks.
• Cardiovascular diseases claim more lives every year than cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease combined.
• Heart disease, including Hypertension, Stroke, and Coronary Heart Disease is the Number 1 cause of death in the United States of America.
• Between 2013 and 2030, medical costs of Coronary Heart Disease are projected to increase by about 100 per cent.
• Every year, about 795,000 people experience a recurrent or new stroke.
• In the year 2015, deaths from stroke accounted for 11.8 per cent of total deaths worldwide, making stroke the second leading global cause of death behind heart disease.
So, people, it is time we focus on our heart health. Because when your heart will be healthy, you will be able to live a healthier and happier life. Life is a blessing, and we shouldn’t waste it by leading an unhealthy lifestyle.
What are the Risk Factors?
There are various risk factors, but the risk may be greater if any family member has a history of heart disease:
Other risk factors may include:
-Smoking
-Diabetes or insulin resistance
-High Blood Pressure
-High cholesterol
-Unhealthy Diet
-Depression
These are some of the risk factors associated with heart problems and diseases. Few of them can be controlled whereas few are external in nature with no control such as having a family history of Heart Diseases!
We all keep hearing about the hazards of smoking but what about those who continue to smoke? You are increasing the risk of getting heart disease if you smoke!? You definitely need to think about it!
Every little thing you do for your health today will keep your body healthy and fit in the long run. Hence, we are going to tell you some of the tips to prevent heart disease, which is the number 1 killer globally.
For doing the same, we have come up with these golden rules to prevent heart diseases. Let us first discuss what can be the possible causes of heart disease. Heart disease occurs due to the development of plaque( a waxy substance made up of fatty molecules, minerals and cholesterol) in the arteries and blood vessels that lead to the heart. As a result, Essential nutrients and oxygen are blocked from reaching the heart.
Golden Rules to Prevent Heart Diseases
1. Be Active
Being active does not mean to spend a lot of money going to a gym or for a workout. You can just incorporate some easy exercises into your everyday life. Use stairs instead of elevators, try to take a quick walk after you have your meal. Indulge yourself in some moderate physical activity for at least 2 ½ hours every week.
Physical activity does not only keeps you fit, but It can also lower blood pressure and keeps the body weight under control and lowers the bad cholesterol.
Your heart will be healthy if you exercise on a regular basis. Medical experts say that people must do moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes at least five days a week.
Walking is without any doubt one of the best cardio exercises for health. If you are obese or overweight, then you should join a gym. Doing a proper workout at the gym under the supervision of a trainer will help you lose weight quickly and effectively.
2. Quit Smoking
There are a lot of advertisements that keep warning us about the hazards of smoking, but we still see people smoking in public. They need to understand that both Active and passive smoking can be hazardous and can affect your health? Studies suggest that people who don’t smoke are less likely to get heart and lung diseases than adults who smoke. So just quit smoking to help your heart?
If you still smoke, it is time for you to stop for the sake of your health. And don’t be in an illusion that smoking one cigarette daily won’t harm your health. Studies suggest that people who smoke fewer than four cigarettes a day can have early signs of heart disease. You should quit smoking to stay healthy.
3. Reduce stress to help your Heart
Yes, you heard it right! Stress can actually trouble you by increasing the risk of getting heart and lung diseases and can even lead to a heart attack or sudden death in severe cases. There are a lot of other options that can help reduce stress like regular exercise, adequate sleep, laughing, talking to your friends, going out to your favourite places and a lot more.
4. Have a Healthy Diet
Yes, it is essential to have a heart-healthy diet! A report suggests that people who rely more on veggies, grains, lean meats and low-fat dairy products are less likely to get heart problems than who eat unhealthy diets.
You must eat the right food in the right quantity so that you can control your weight, blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. Have a nutritionally balanced diet which contains fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other healthy foods.
5. Keep a Tab on your Blood Pressure
The risk of heart attack increases when someone has High blood pressure. Some of the best ways to control blood pressure are to eat a healthy diet, exercise and manage stress. If you have high blood pressure levels, then you must take medications regularly prescribed by your doctor to lower blood pressure levels.
Eating a heart-healthy diet, exercising regularly, limiting salt and alcohol can lead to better management of your blood pressure. Diabetes is said to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. People with diabetes are more prone to heart disease than people without diabetes. And you can lower the risk by doing simple exercises, eating right and controlling your weight.
6. Check your Blood Sugar
High blood sugar levels can damage your arteries. If you have diabetes, you must take proper care of your diet and work with your doctor to control blood sugar levels. Doing this may lower your chance of having a heart attack or stroke.
7. Keep a Check on Your Cholesterol Levels
Our blood flows through the blood vessels, and during that process, it can drop traces of fat, calcium, and cholesterol. This can create a buildup of plaque in the arteries. Excessive plaque increases the risk of a heart attack.
Keep a check on your cholesterol levels. To do that, you must get a blood test done and consult a doctor.
Which are the Foods Heart Specialists Tell Everyone to Avoid ?
8. Watch what you Eat
What you eat impacts your heart health to a great extent. Junk food has never done any good for anybody, but still, we are so fond of it. Why? Because it tastes good!
But you must realise that satisfying your taste buds with junk food is gonna give you only a momentarily pleasure. Doctors always recommend people to avoid eating junk food to lead a healthy life. And they are absolutely right.
Also, you must cut down on sugar, salt, saturated fats, and red meats. Just make sure you get all the nutrients you need. The bottom line is, you should eat foods which are heart-healthy.
These are the golden rules to prevent heart diseases. Avoid physical inactivity, have healthy food, maintain your weight and try to quit smoking. Physical activity and exercise can keep your body and heart in good health. Just follow these simple rules and lead a healthy happy life!
9. Weigh Yourself Regularly
Being obese or overweight can put your heart at risk. If you weigh more than you should, you must eat a balanced diet and exercise on a regular basis. Do everything that you can do to maintain your ideal weight. Because that will help you keep heart conditions at bay.
Also, consult a doctor if you are not able to lose weight. Because weight gain is also a cause of many underlying health conditions such as thyroid disorders, PCOS, etc.
10. Don’t Take too much Calcium
A study conducted in 2010 found that over time, taking calcium supplements can promote calcification of arteries and elevate heart attack risk. Instead, balance your daily calcium intake (up to 600 milligrams) with magnesium (400 milligrams) and vitamin D (1,000 IU), which help promote cardiovascular health. If you have no idea about how much calcium you should take daily, ask your doctor. Also, get a calcium test done to know if you are calcium deficient.
11. Turn the Volume Down
You will be shocked to know that noise pollution is one of the causes of heart disease. Chronic exposure to sounds can raise your heart rate, stress level, blood pressure, and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
A study analysing the incident of heart disorders among Finnish adults found an 80 % higher rate of death from cardiovascular disease among women who had described themselves as being sensitive to sound.
So turn down the volume whenever you watch television or listen to music. Do whatever is possible to keep things quiet near you, especially at night. If you live near an area which is prone to a lot of noise, keep the windows closed.
12. Keep Yourself Away from BPA
Bisphenol A is widely used compound found in food and beverage containers. Many studies suggest that long-term exposure to this chemical may increase your risk of cardiac disease. You can minimise the exposure to BPA by limiting the use of canned foods and using nonplastic containers in the microwave.
13. Take Proper Care of Your Teeth
If you want to stay happy and keep your heart healthy, then you must take care of your teeth. Bacteria like P. gingivalis can grow in your mouth and even get into your bloodstream, potentially damaging vessels and causing clots.
By taking care of your teeth, you can reduce bacterial growth and lessen the risk of cardiovascular disease. Brushing and flossing two times a day helps to keep your heart healthy. Also, pay a visit to a dentist at least two to three times a year to keep a tab on your dental health.
14. Stay in Touch with Good Friends
Many people say it is good to have friends around you who support you. Even medical experts say that people with more social support are less prone to heart trouble. To stay healthy and happy, having good friends is important. Quality is always important than quantity. Even if you have fewer friends, that is fine. The point is to have a few people with you who can be with you through thick and thin.
All in all, you must eat healthy, exercise, and go for a regular health checkup to keep heart disease at bay. To book a health checkup package at a discounted rate, click here.
