The secret to a long life is easy and simple- living a healthy lifestyle. It is easy to have a healthy life as long as individuals are mindful of what they consume. A healthy diet should not be seen as something that’s restricting. Similarly, an active lifestyle doesn’t necessarily mean you have to involve strenuous exercises every single day. A healthy lifestyle should not be rigid, and there’s no on-formula-fits-all as each individual has specific needs. Overall, a proper lifestyle should be one that’s beneficial to the wellbeing of the individual.
Perhaps one of the most important organs in the body and one that’s susceptible to a variety of illnesses is the heart. Cardiovascular health is often taken for granted- especially for younger people, only for them to regret their lifestyle choices as they grow old. When we do not take care of our heart, we are at risk of several life-threatening cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack or hypertension.
Our heart specialists at IMH lets us in on the importance of living a healthy lifestyle on our cardiovascular health.
A Healthy Heart Is A Youthful Heart
Do you know that experts can calculate your heart’s age and compare it against your current age? People who have unhealthy lifestyles have significantly “older” in terms of their heart in contrast to how young they really are. As we age, our bodies gradually lose their optimum capacity, and the heart is no exception. Considered as the strongest muscle in the body, the heart is in charge of pumping oxygen and nutrient-carrying blood to all parts of the body. Keeping it healthy will make it young and work efficiently. Have you seen elderly people who are still actively pursuing life? That’s probably because they are living a healthy lifestyle.
How Do I Keep My Heart, Young?
A combination of a healthy diet and exercise is key to keeping your heart youthful. Cardiologists suggest adding more green leafy vegetables in one’s diet while avoiding sugar, and high-cholesterol food and saturated fats altogether. Whole grains, berries, nuts, dark chocolate and foods rich in omega-3 such as fatty fish are excellent for the heart as well. While it is not bad to indulge in desserts once in a while, it is important to control one’s portions.
Cardiovascular exercises such as brisk walking, jogging, swimming, and boxing are some of the best exercises to keep the heart young and healthy. Cardiologists say that keeping the exercise consistent is important and doing it for 4-5 times a week is best.
Lifestyle Changes Should Start Now
Lifestyle factors such as smoking and alcohol are major contributing factors to heart disease. Quitting cigarettes will actually reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by 50%. There are several cessation aids to choose from. You can also speak to an expert to help you quit your unhealthy habits altogether.
The perfect time to start is now. If you think you need to overhaul your lifestyle habits, start with eating healthier and gradually incorporating exercise into your daily routine such as brisk walking. It is important to keep your lifestyle in check to live a healthy life. If you have any concerns about your cardiovascular health, seek the help of a cardiologist at the earliest.