Healthy Heart Lifestyle Changes: Diet, Exercise and More

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally. About 17.9 million people die each year as a result of preventable CVDs. While sophisticated cardiac diagnostics are always available to assess cardiac health and help doctors prescribe treatments and reverse the damage, the best cure is always prevention. Thankfully, the prevention of heart disease is relatively easy once you are armed with the tools and the knowledge you need. It starts and ends with good, mindful nutrition and a robust exercise regime. Here are some tips and guidelines to help you keep your heart healthy.

Good Nutrition for Heart Health

Food is the best medicine, as the saying goes. Much of what you can do to keep your heart healthy begins in the kitchen and the grocery store. Assuming that you are already in good health, there is no need to be too prescriptive. Strict diets are only really necessary for people who already have heart problems. For good health maintenance, consider the following tips, informed by American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines:

• Choose foods that are rich in nutrients, as opposed to those that are high in calories but low in nutrients. Keep processed foods to a minimum and increase your intake of whole foods that are high in vitamins, fibre and other core nutrients.
• Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
• Restrict your intake of meat and dairy products and choose healthier options such as low-fat milk, skinless poultry, and lean red meat.
• Trans fats and refined sugars, if you consume them at all, should be kept to an absolute minimum. There is no reason not to enjoy a sweet treat or fried delicacy now and then, but these should only be eaten occasionally.

Lower High-Blood Pressure

Aside from cholesterol and other dietary issues, high blood pressure is one of the major causes of heart disease. It is essential to keep your blood pressure as low as possible. The best ways to do so are to reduce your salt intake, drink more water and keep active.

Physical Activity for Heart Health

Increasingly sedentary lifestyles are another major factor that drives the rising incidence of heart disease. To keep your heart pumping and your blood flowing optimally, it is important to keep active as much as you can. If you spend much of your day sitting, try to find ways to add some movement to your daily routine. It doesn’t even require that much – only 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week (or just over 20 minutes per day). Even if you add four five-minute breaks into your workday, in which you get up and walk around a little before going back to your desk, this will already make a significant difference to your cardiac health.

Weight Loss for Heart Health

Closely connected with your diet and exercise regimes is the need to keep your weight within a healthy range. People who are overweight are nine times more likely to develop heart disease. Weight loss often presents a serious challenge for people, but there is no need to put too much pressure on yourself – every kilogram you lose counts. Even a modest weight loss of five to ten percent of your body weight can improve your health and reduce your risk of CVD.

If you are at risk of heart disease or are already experiencing CVD, there is no need to worry. These conditions can be managed and even reversed with these healthy heart lifestyle changes and the right treatment. The first step is to know and understand your condition thoroughly, and that requires a careful diagnosis and treatment plan, which is informed by accurate testing. Discuss your concerns with your doctor and they may refer you for cardiac diagnostics. With a written referral, you can book an appointment at WELL Health Diagnostic Centres, where we are fully equipped to check every aspect of your cardiovascular health.

Contact us for more information or to make an appointment.