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When considering your overall health, the condition of your heart, one of the most important organs in the body, should be your first concern. In addition to pumping blood and oxygen, your heart is responsible for many other vital bodily processes. Heart disease, also known as cardiovascular disease, is currently the leading cause of mortality for both men and women in the United States.

Heart disease results in conditions that impact the heart’s capacity to function and damage its internal components, such as the arteries, valves, and blood vessels. High blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, are common heart illnesses that, if left untreated, can result in heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, or cardiac arrest.

Living a heart healthy lifestyle is being aware of your risks, choosing wisely, and taking action to lower your risk of heart disease.

How to maintain your heart health?

The good news is that there are numerous strategies to maintain heart health and lower your chance of contracting heart conditions. Some of them are listed below:

1. Have an active lifestyle

Maintaining a healthy heart and reducing your risk of heart disease require regular physical activity. Five days a week, try to get in at least 30 minutes of moderate activity, like brisk walking. You can also consider adding stretching and strength training to your regimen. To achieve your targeted fitness goals, start out cautiously and increase your workout regimen over time.

Your heart and general health will benefit from even brief physical activity sessions. You may maintain consistency and commitment to make physical activity a vital part of your daily routine by making exercise fun and relevant to your interests.

2. Eat a heart healthy diet

You may maintain heart health by eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Limit your consumption of sodium, added sweets, harmful saturated and trans fats, and highly processed foods. Whenever feasible, try including heart-healthy items in your meals, like almonds, avocados, and salmon. Consuming a diet rich in fiber also enhances your health and reduces the risk of heart disease risk factors, such as inflammation, obesity, and high blood pressure.

3. Control your stress and anxiety

In addition to having numerous detrimental effects on your general health, stress is known to raise your risk of heart disease by raising blood pressure and placing undue strain on your body. Managing your stress levels and finding constructive ways to release stored mental and physical strain are essential for heart health. Exercise, mindfulness, learning relaxation techniques, and maintaining a strong support network are all strategies that have been shown to lower stress.

Prioritizing self-care when necessary and scheduling as much time as you can for enjoyable activities are also crucial. If your stress levels become too high for you to handle alone or cause major mental health issues like anxiety or depression, be sure to speak with your primary care physician right away.

4. Get quality sleep

Maintaining heart health requires regular, high-quality sleep, of which seven to nine hours should be your goal each night. Try creating a calming nighttime routine and avoiding bright devices immediately before bed to minimize your brain’s excitation in the evening if you have trouble falling asleep. If you think you might have a sleep condition that is preventing you from getting a good night’s sleep on your own, consult your primary care physician. Because poor sleep is linked to other cardiovascular disease risk factors like poor diet, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and inflammation in the body, it poses a major threat to heart health.

5. Reduce alcohol intake and stop smoking

Two risk factors for heart disease include smoking and binge drinking. Toxins like nicotine and arsenic, which are present in tobacco, are known to seriously harm the heart. Inhaling cigarette smoke limits the amount of oxygen that reaches all of your body’s important organs, including the heart, brain, and lungs, while also decreasing your body’s oxygen intake. In a similar vein, excessive alcohol consumption can raise your risk of heart disease and harm your heart and other essential organs. One of the finest things you can do for your heart health and well-being is to stop smoking and drink less alcohol.

6. See your doctor on a regular basis

Maintaining heart health requires routine checkups with your primary care physician. To provide the greatest advice for your heart health and lifestyle choices, your doctor can keep an eye on your blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, and any other wellness indicators. One of the main risk factors for heart disease is high blood pressure, which is a prevalent illness. If your blood pressure is high, engage with your doctor to actively manage it. Get your blood pressure tested frequently. In order for your doctor to properly evaluate your heart disease risks and provide you with appropriate advice, it is also crucial to keep an eye on your body mass index (BMI), blood sugar, and cholesterol.

Conclusion

You may significantly lower your risk of heart disease and take charge of your heart health by paying attention these six recommendations. Before making any big lifestyle changes, don’t forget to get checked out by your physician and discuss any concerns you may have about the health of your heart. If you are busy enough to schedule an in-clinic visit, feel free to schedule an online physician appointment with MD Chronic. We have a team of physicians and family doctors at our online physician platform, who are ready to help you get the right treatment at the right time. For more details, feel free to contact us.