10 Ways to Keep Your Heart Healthy
The Attitudes to Keep the Heart Healthy are some tips that help to reduce the risks of cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, stroke or heart attack. In addition, heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. In Brazil, one in three deaths is caused by them. However, most of the population is unaware that many of these diseases can be prevented with small changes in habits.
The heart is a vital organ and, like any part of the body, it needs care and attention. The more the lifestyle is healthy, away from smoking and other drugs, fat and low-nutrient foods, the better your heart health will be. So, check out the 10 Attitudes to Keep Your Heart Healthy .
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1. Exercise: This is one of the main attitudes to keep the heart healthy . Well, exercising regularly – at least 150 minutes a week, in sessions of at least 30 minutes – reduces the risk of cardiovascular problems. The modalities that protect the heart are aerobic exercises (walking, running, swimming, etc.) that involve large muscle groups performed in a cyclic, light and moderate manner, with prolonged duration.
2. Routine exams: Making a list of exams needed annually is important to rule out any suspicion of heart problems or, if something is abnormal, it can be treated early on.
3. Take care of oral hygiene: Several studies show a link between poor oral hygiene and heart disease. Bacteria such as those in the periodontal pocket can enter the bloodstream and travel to the heart. There, they proliferate and can cause various heart diseases, from arrhythmia to bacterial endocarditis. To maintain a healthy mouth, it is necessary to brush your teeth well at least three times a day, especially after the main meals, flossing and, when indicated, mouthwashes. It is also essential to go to the dentist regularly.
4. Take care of the mind: Dedicate a few minutes a day to an activity that involves fun, such as reading, watching a movie, writing or doing crafts. This helps you relax, taking away your daily stress.
5. Salt in moderation: This is one of the main attitudes to keep the heart healthy . The excessive use of salt leads to an increase in blood pressure, an important cause of other diseases of the cardiovascular system.
6. Entertainment: Having moments of pleasure a few times a week or at least a month is essential for heart health, as joy helps to relax problems.
7. Control glucose: Controlling the glucose index is keeping an eye on diabetes. With this index in sight, the disease will hardly take you by surprise.
8. Control weight: Maintaining weight is essential and one of the main Attitudes to Keep the Heart Healthy since a sedentary lifestyle, obesity and hypertension are risk factors for a heart attack.
9. Eat a balanced diet: Excessive sugar, salt or fat are the main villains of an adequate diet. A balanced diet includes portions of fruits and vegetables, in addition to proteins from meats, preferably lean ones. Also check out The 20 Foods That Help Protect Your Heart .
10. Control Cholesterol: In Brazil, 40% of the population has high cholesterol and most of them do not know they have the disease. The bad fat present in the bloodstream comes from a diet rich in foods with saturated fat and trans fat, such as sausages, fatty cuts of meat, margarine, stuffed cookies, ice cream, among others.
From the bad: If on the one hand there are habits that must be cultivated, on the other, there are some that need to be excluded from the routine. Case of smoking and abuse of alcohol consumption. The various chemical substances present in cigarettes collaborate, among several factors, for poor blood circulation and the accumulation of fat in the arteries, which can culminate in a heart attack.
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The euphoric state caused by alcoholic beverages hides many problems that in the long run can shorten life, or at least lead to a much less pleasant old age. It is known that alcohol is the first cause of death from liver diseases, in addition to being associated with the emergence of tumors and diseases of the nervous and cardiac system.