Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death worldwide, with an estimated 17.9 million lives lost annually. The good news is that preventive cardiology Upper East Side can help lower your risk of cardiovascular diseases through various lifestyle modifications. Here are several ways in which you reduce your risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Give up smoking
Giving up smoking or using smokeless tobacco reduces your risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Secondhand smoke can also affect your health, so even if you also want to avoid being around smoking zones. The chemicals in tobacco constrict your blood vessels, reducing oxygen levels in your blood. Consequently, blood pressure and heart rate increase because the heat has to work harder to supply enough oxygen to the brain and body.
The good news is that the risk of cardiovascular disease drops in as little as a day of quitting smoking. Going a year without smoking reduces your risk of heart disease to about half that of a smoker. It does not matter how long you have been smoking; you will reap the benefits as soon as you quit.
Eat a healthy balanced diet
A healthy diet is good for your heart; it can help improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. Ensure you eat healthy foods like whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats like olive oil. Limit the salts you eat in a day; too much salt increases your blood pressure. It would be best if you did not take more than a teaspoonful (6g) of salt daily.
You also want to limit the intake of saturated fats because they increase the levels of bad cholesterol in your blood. Examples of foods high in saturated fats include sausages, meat pies, butter, cream, hard cheese, ghee, cakes, and biscuits. Foods with unsaturated fats reduce blockage in your arteries and increase good cholesterol levels. These foods include avocados, oily fish, nuts, and seeds.
Be more physically active
Combining regular physical activities with a healthy diet can lower your risk of cardiovascular diseases and is also the best way to lose weight. Staying within your ideal weight reduces your risk of developing hypertension. Regular exercise makes your heart and blood circulatory system more efficient, lowering your cholesterol level and keeping your blood pressure at a healthy level. Making physical activity part of your everyday life also reduces your heart attack risk. If you have been inactive for a while, you can start slowly as you build towards the following goals. Aim for at least:
- Two hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate aerobic exercise like walking.
- 75 minutes a week of vigorous activities like running
- At least two strength-training sessions weekly
If you can’t meet the above guidelines, do not give up because even shorter bouts of activity offer heart benefits. Other activities like walking the dog, gardening, and taking the stairs instead of the lift count towards your total. You don’t have strenuous exercises to reap the benefits, but you gain more when you increase your workouts’ intensity, duration, and frequency.
Consult your Upper East Side Cardiology healthcare provider to know how you can benefit from preventive cardiology.
Related Posts:
