7 healthy habits for a healthy heart
Health / / December 19, 2019
1. Head
Movement is necessary for the heart: it strengthens the cardiorespiratory system, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, and improves insulin sensitivity. And most importantly, it benefits, how little you undertake. Move even slightly is better than not moving at all.
The ideal number of loads per week - 150 minutes of aerobic exercises of medium intensity and 60 minutes of strength training.
aerobic training time can break the way you prefer, for example, five days a week for 30 minutes or three times for 50 minutes. Such loads include running, swimming, brisk walking, biking, basketball, tennis, and even working in the garden.
During strength training you need to work out the major muscle groups (legs, back, shoulders, and arms). To do this you can do with dumbbells, a barbell or an elastic band, doing exercises with its own weight (sit-ups and push-ups, yoga). Suitable and intensive work on the house.
Do not worry if you do not fit exactly within the recommended limits. Any physical activity reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. If you have a little spare time, pay attention to the intensive interval training.
2. Watch for blood pressure
The increased pressure (hypertension) causes mechanical stress on the artery walls, because then they taper and harden. This increases the risk of blood plaques and cracks in the vessels, which can lead to stroke. The ideal pressure is considered 120/80. The upper value represents the systolic pressure - the pressure at the time of cardiac contraction. Lower diastolic blood pressure - the pressure at rest.
Increased risk of hypertension in the elderly, people with obesity, diabetes and other serious diseases, as well as those who consume a lot of alcohol.
If the pressure exceeds 120/80 mark, you might have prehypertension. And if it is higher than 140/90, you have high-grade hypertension. The pressure varies throughout the day, rises and falls depending on food intake and alcohol, in response to caffeine and stress. To understand what you usually pressure, measure several times per day.
To reduce the pressure, try:
- Lose weight. When overweight heart needs to work harder to drive blood through the body.
- Reduce alcohol consumption. Men should drink no more than two, and women no more than one serving per day.
- Eat less salt. The amount of salt per day should not exceed five grams. Most people consume twice as much.
3. Keep an eye on cholesterol levels
cholesterol are advised to be checked every 4-6 years. At the same time, pay attention to:
- HDL cholesterol. It is considered beneficial to the cardiovascular system, the level of its content must be high.
- LDL cholesterol. He is injurious to health, the level of content should be low.
- Triglycerides. It's the type of fats that are found in the blood. Elevated triglycerides associated with heart disease and diabetes.
Proper diet can cause cholesterol levels to normal. Oily fish, apples, strawberries, citrus fruits, beans, vegetables and flax seeds reduces LDL levels. Nuts raise HDL. And at an elevated level of triglycerides is best to reduce the consumption of empty carbohydrates. Try to eliminate from your diet sugar, bread, pasta, fruit juices and other processed carbohydrates.
4. Keep track of your blood sugar
If you have found elevated levels of blood sugar, you should consult with your doctor to determine whether you have diabetes. Please note that certain factors can increase sugar levels and affect the result of the analysis. This lack of sleep, obesity, alcohol and caffeine, reception of contraceptives, antidepressants, agents of the common cold, hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, chronic stress.
Do not forget that sugar levels can be measured only after you have not eaten for eight hours.
5. eat right
All products can be divided into three categories: useful for the heart, bad and neutral.
What is often
- Plant foods: nuts, seeds, legumes, cereals.
- Fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Seafood, especially fatty fish: salmon, sardines, mackerel.
- Fermented foods (yoghurt, kefir).
- Healthy fats (olive oil).
what to avoid
- Foods with sugar (soft drinks, juices, candy).
- Processed carbohydrates (breakfast cereals, white bread, biscuits, pasta).
- Meat products (sausages, sausages, ham, hamburgers).
- Finished products in which a lot of salt, sugar, fats, preservatives (frozen meals, chips, nuggets, canned soup, instant noodles).
What to eat moderately
- Butter.
- Cheese.
- Red meat.
- Milk.
- Eggs.
Also for the heart healthy Mediterranean diet. Its basis is the olive oil, nuts, seafood, fruits, poultry, legumes and vegetables. According to the researchers, those who followed this diet, much less heart attacks were observed, stroke and death from cardiovascular disease than people who follow the normal diet low fatPrimary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with a Mediterranean Diet..
6. Watch your weight
Fat cells produce substances which enhance inflammation, break sensitivity to insulin and lead to arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). It is not surprising that obesity - one of the leading causes of heart disease. Particularly at risk are people who have a lot of visceral fat. It accumulates in the abdomen around the internal organs. This fat is much more dangerous than subcutaneous and harder to get rid of it.
Determine the amount of visceral fat you can use the body mass index. is he calculated the ratio of height and weight. The best is a BMI less than 25, a higher rate is already talking about obesity.
But still can not fully rely on the BMI. People with a lot of muscle mass index can be more than 25, in spite of the low percentage of body fat. And, conversely, it can be very thin, but have a high percentage of visceral fat.
If a person looks healthy, it does not mean that he is really healthy. In any case, you need to take care of yourself and take the survey.
7. Give up smoking
Smoking causes emphysema (excessive accumulation of air in the organs), cancer, periodontitis and harms nearly every organ. it is particularly dangerous for the heart, because tobacco smoke damages the blood vessels. Smokers risk of heart attack is doubled, and the risk of stroke - three times. E-cigarettes also increase the risk of heart diseaseAre Electronic Cigarette Users at Increased Risk for Cardiovascular Disease?.
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