Five Ways to Have A Healthy Heart

Back in my childhood people used to say 'I exercise to have a healthy heart' or 'after I exercise, I will eat fried chicken wings'. At the time I am amazed by their ideas of getting healthy since it just involves exercising without monitoring your food intake.

But as time goes, I realized that what I heard before is wrong. How can a person who exercises regularly can have a healthy heart without monitoring their food intake?

If you asked any doctor or medical practitioner on ‘what I should do to keep my heart healthy?’ the answer almost the same. They will suggest you live a healthy lifestyle and this applied to the Harvard Medical School where they suggest five things people can do to protect their heart.

Get active

According to Harvard Medical School, exercise and physical activity are the most perfect way to prevent heart disease. It helps prevent some risk factors for heart diseases such as blood cholesterol, diabetes and hypertension. Being active is also a great way to relieve stress and control your weight, which is both risk factors for cardiovascular disease. You can get active by doing simple things such as use stairs instead of the lift, doing the house chores and park your car a little far from your destination and walk the rest of the way.

Avoid tobacco

Smoking tobacco is bad for the heart, arteries and lungs. It also raises your risk of developing heart disease by two to four times. If you quit smoking, the risk of coronary heart disease will be reduced within a year and will return to normal levels from time to time. Exposure to cigarette smoke significantly increases the risk of heart attack, so it is best for you to avoid the smoke-filled environment.

Maintain a healthy weight

To maintain a healthy weight, a person must limit their salt intake. They can use the Body-Mass Index (BMI) to measure how much body fat is on a person based on their height weight. Carrying extra weight, especially around the stomach, strains the heart and will lead you towards diabetes. If you are overweight, losing only 5 to 10 per cent of your weight can make major changes in your blood and sugar pressure.

Enliven your diet

Your diet must consist of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, herbs and spices, unsaturated fat, and good proteins from beans, nuts and poultry. You have to reduce processed foods, salt, rapidly digested carbohydrates, red meat, soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages.

Drink alcohol in moderation

If you drink alcohol, limit your intake - one to two drinks a day for men, and no more than one a day for women.

In conclusion, to take care of your heart make a change in your lifestyle. Eat healthily, do regular exercise, and consume high calories food in moderation. Quitting smoking is the best way to reserve your heart from damage.