Walk and get vaccinated. 6 rules to help maintain a healthy heart

1. Do sports and walk

People who move less are more likely to developPhysical activity / WHO hypertension and coronary heart disease. For an adult needPhysical activity / WHO 2.5-5 hours of aerobic activity per week is swimming, cycling, running and other activities during which is acceleratingAerobic exercise: Top 10 reasons to get physical / Mayo Clinic heartbeat.

If you do not have enough time for a full workout, try to use every opportunity to move. For example, walk home from work, climb stairs more often. The real benefits of such “everyday” physical education were proved back in 2013. A group of scientists from America and Australia figured outHmwe H. Kyu, Victoria F. Bachman, Lily T. Alexander, John Everett Mumford, Ashkan Afshin, Kara Estep, J. Lennert Veerman, Kristen Delwiche, Marissa L. Iannarone, Madeline L. Moyer, Kelly Cercy, Theo Vos, Christopher J. L. Murray, Mohammad H. Forouzanfar. Physical activity and risk of breast cancer, colon cancer, diabetes, ischemic heart disease, and ischemic events: systematic review and dose‑response meta‑analysis stroke for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 / The BMJ

that daily routine, including regular walking and climbing stairs, can achieve a high level of activity and reduce the risk of developing coronary heart disease by 25%, and stroke by 26%.

By the way, movement can be introduced even into sedentary work. From time to time, take a break from tasks and do simple gymnastics. You can try standing up for a few hours a day. Such a habit, of course, will not replace a full-fledged workout, but some experts believe that it will improve blood circulation. capableAre Standing Desks Better for You? / Cleveland Clinic.

2. Take tests

If a person consumes too many saturated fats, such as butter or processed foods, their levels increase over time. triglyceridesHow To Lower Your Triglycerides Naturally / Cleveland Clinic and cholesterolHeart Healthy Eating to Help Lower Cholesterol Levels / Cleveland Clinic. The latter is also called bad cholesterol. Its normal level is 5 mmol/lRaised cholesterol / WHO. If there is more cholesterol, fatty plaques may appear in the vessels. Because of them growsWhat is high cholesterol? /NHS risk of fatal stroke and heart attack. Ideally, the first check for cholesterol needCholesterol test / Mayo Clinic pass at the age of 9-11 years. Retests are given every five years. Women over 55 and men over 45 should have their cholesterol levels checked every 1 to 2 years. If a person has diabetes, tests are ordered more frequently.

Blood sugar growsHigh blood sugar (hyperglycaemia) / NHS including due to the fact that there are too many foods with fast carbohydrates in the diet. They are found in sauces, pastries, white bread, sausages, sweets and fast food. The normal concentration of glucose in the blood is the interval between 3.9 and 5.6 mmol/lBlood sugar test / U. S. National Library of Medicine. An increase may signal the development of diabetes. This disease increasesDiabetes / WHO two to three times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke. Healthy people need to have their blood sugar checked every three years.

3. Have a salad every day

OptimalHealthy eating / WHO the amount of vegetables and fruits for an adult is at least 400 g per day. But it is unlikely that anyone measures greens every day in order to meet the limit. It is much easier to get in the habit of regularly supplementing your lunch or dinner with a good salad.

The fact is that almost all vegetables (except potatoes) contain fiber that is good for the heart. She is helpsFiber: The Carb That Helps You Manage Diabetes / Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintain normal blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol. And the greens make up for the deficiency of micronutrients. For example, spinach richSpinach, raw / U. S. Department of Agriculture vitamin A. Broccoli containsBroccoli, raw / U. S. Department of Agriculture folic acid, potassium and manganese. in brussels sprouts a lot ofBrussels sprouts, raw / U. S. Department of Agriculture vitamins C and K.

In order not to get bored from the same thing, select the ingredients in the salad according to the season. In summer - cucumbers, zucchini, green onions. In winter - cabbage, carrots, beets. Improvise with dressings, come up with interesting additions for a delicious crunch, such as sprouted grains or flax seeds.

If you don't like raw vegetables, try frying or sautéing them. Chicken stew goes well with bell peppers. And funchose - with a salad of broken cucumbers.

4. Don't skip vaccinations

Cardiovascular complications - secondNischit Baral, Prakash Adhikari, Govinda Adhikari, Sandip Karki. Influenza Myocarditis: A Literature Review / The Cureus Journal of Medical Science most common cause of death from influenza. The virus, getting on the heart muscle, causes inflammation - myocarditis. It in turn provokes heart failure. Therefore, the experts recommendFlu & People with Heart Disease or History of Stroke / Centers for Disease Control and Prevention get a flu shot annually. In order not to forget about it, you can start an online calendar and choose convenient dates in advance. As a rule, mass vaccination starts in September-October.

In addition, every 10 years be vaccinatedDiphtheria And Tetanus Vaccine (Intramuscular Route) / Mayo Clinic from diphtheria and tetanus. These diseases worsenDiphtheria And Tetanus Vaccine (Intramuscular Route) / Mayo Clinic work of the heart, nervous and respiratory systems. Sometimes myocarditis leadsMyocarditis / Mayo Clinic and rubella. Most often, children become infected with it, so the rubella vaccine is given at 12 months, at 6 years and up to 17 years. But there are also cases of the disease among adults. If you haven't been vaccinated beforehand, experts recommend getting vaccinated between the ages of 17 and 25.

5. Go to bed at the same time

For an adult needAT‑A‑GLANCE: Healthy Sleep / National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute sleep at least 7 hours a day. Sleep deprivation affects blood pressure levels. It usually decreases during sleep, and insomnia leadsHow Does Sleep Affect Your Heart Health? / Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the fact that the heart works at high powers longer than necessary. To avoid such problems, specialists recommendInsomnia/NHS go to bed and wake up at about the same time every day.

The regimen will gradually become a habit, especially if you help the body at first. try not to drinkInsomnia/NHS alcohol, strong tea or coffee at least six hours before bedtime. And in about an hour, start relaxing: put down your smartphone, take a bath, read a nice book. Make sure nothing is blocking you. If you wake up to sounds or lights, buy earplugs, a mask, and blackout curtains. It is also worth checking whether the mattress, blankets and pillows are comfortable. If sleep problems torment you regularly, it will not be superfluous to see a specialist.

6. Weigh and measure blood pressure

It is worth periodically checking three important indicators of health. These are body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and blood pressure.

BMI is calculated using the formula weight (kg) / height² (m). If the result is between 18.5 and 24.9, then everything is in order with the weight.

BMI over 30 He speaksObesity and overweight / WHO about obesity, which provokesDiabesity: How Obesity Is Related to Diabetes / Cleveland Clinic type II diabetes. Even an index of 25 - slightly above the norm - indicates overweight. He too raisesWhat is type 2 diabetes? /NHS the risk of getting sick.

Sometimes deposits accumulate not only under the skin, but also around the abdominal organs. it internal fatBMI healthy weight calculator / NHS, an excess of which is bad for the heart. Therefore, it is worth checking the waist circumference even with normal weight. The optimal figure for men is up to 94 cm. For women - up to 80 cm.

Making friends with a tonometer will also not be superfluous. normal blood pressure countsBlood Pressure / Cleveland Clinic 120/80. If the indicators for several days are equal to or exceed 140/90, it is worth seeing a specialist. According to the World Health Organization, more than a billion people aged 30-79 worldwide sufferHypertension / WHO dangerous pathological condition - hypertension. Often the disease is asymptomatic. Therefore, it is necessary to measure pressure at least once a year even for those who do not complain of feeling unwell.