Which is the most important muscle in your body?
The answer to this question stumps many. It's the heart, with an average size of a folded fist, this tiny musculature keeps the entire system running. While we may not treat or observe it as a muscle, the heart is responsible for keeping our body alive by pumping blood and oxygen to all organs.
The heart pumps blood through arteries and veins. When plaque forms on the lining of these arteries, it leads to severe conditions like a heart attack or blockage of blood flow. With appropriate lifestyle changes and proper knowledge, we can keep our hearts healthy. Book an appointment with Manipal Hospitals to connect with the best cardiologists in Ghaziabad to know more about heart diseases, treatment, and tips to keep heart healthy.
Here are the top recommendations on; how to keep your heart healthy?
Know Cholesterol, before you say NO to Cholesterol
Does reading the word fats or cholesterol give you a negative impression? Not all fats are harmful, some are essential for normal body function. Fats are as important for our well-being as any other macronutrient in a balanced diet.
Many vitamins (Vit. A, D, E, K) are fat-soluble; hence, fats are required for the storage and absorption of those in our body.
Fat metabolism leads to the production of cholesterol in our body which helps in various activities such as digestion, enables our body to make Vitamin D, and also helps hormone metabolism such as that of estrogen and testosterone.
High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL), commonly known as good cholesterol, helps remove plaque from arteries.
Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL), often called bad cholesterol, may contribute to clogging by plaque.
Regular Tests
Crossing the age of 35, regular health checks become essential for monitoring our health and lifestyle. Some critical tests which do not need a prescription are:
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Cholesterol Levels
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Blood Pressure
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Diabetes Screening
Depending upon your age, gender and overall lifestyle, a heart specialist in Ghaziabad might recommend a few other tests to help monitor your health and device lifestyle changes accordingly for a good life experience.
Active Lifestyle
An active lifestyle reduces the risk of heart ailments. An active lifestyle consists of not sitting in a place beyond 30 minutes, 150 minutes of walking, and 75 minutes of intense exercise every week. Research has proven the benefits of two strength-training sessions a week.
An active lifestyle in the workplace can look like- including basic movements every few hours, leaving the chair for water break, taking the stairs and skipping the elevator.
At home one may opt for activities like - gardening and housework.
Exercise to keep your heart healthy. Practice a sport or fitness activity that you can maintain in your schedule.
Heart-Healthy Diet
Making simple changes in diet can result in prolonged health impacts and listed below are a few you may start with:
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Eating a balanced diet and not falling for fad diets.
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Have a regular intake of vegetables and fruits.
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Drink plenty of water according to your bodily requirement and weather. A good benchmark is to monitor the colour of urine.
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Consume beans, legumes, fish, whole grains, fibre-rich food and healthy fats.
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Chew your food slowly. This helps reduce the strain on the body during digestion and ensures the absorption of nutrients.
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Keep heart-healthy snacks like nuts and dry fruits with you for munching.
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Reduce consumption of salt, sugar, red meat, alcohol and processed foods.
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Avoid drinking high sugar carbonated beverages.
Snooze it before you lose it
Resting is as important as physical activity for the body. A healthy body deserves rest as much as it needs nutrition and exercise. People who do not get quality sleep have a higher risk of developing diseases like obesity, diabetes, heart attack and high blood pressure.
An average adult needs 6-8 hours of sound sleep for the body to recover. Maintaining a sleep schedule, regular exercise and reduced screen time, especially before going to sleep, helps get a good sleep.
Any ongoing problems with sleep need a consultation with a heart doctor in Ghaziabad.
Reduce Stress
Stress can cause more harm to the body than we currently know of. While managing work stress can be difficult for many there are few proven activities that can help reduce stress. Some activities proven to reduce stress are: meeting friends and loved ones, finding a good community for exercise and travel, getting a pet, a plant or a hobby, meditation and doing creative work that you love.
Dental Hygiene
When people discuss how to keep hearts healthy, they often ignore good dental hygiene. The bacteria involved in developing dental diseases may also increase the risk of heart disease. Basic dental hygiene, like brushing and flossing twice a day and chewing your food, goes a long way in building a healthy life.
Stay Away from Tobacco
Tobacco use can be harmful and may aggravate pre-existing conditions. Avoid tobacco in all forms, including passive smoking i.e. inhaling smoke while talking to your colleagues or acquaintances while they actively smoke. Exposure to tobacco has been proven to be a significant cause of heart disease and cancer.
Call Manipal Hospitals, Ghaziabad, is one of India's largest cardiac speciality centres. Manipal Hospitals has the best heart specialists in Ghaziabad and offers the entire spectrum of treatments like genetic heart conditions, coronary artery illness, heart rhythm disruptions, heart failure disorders, and vascular disease. In addition to this, we also have India's leading echo cardiologists, radiologists and cardiovascular surgeons to treat all patients, including newborns.
Manipal Hospitals, Ghaziabad
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