Heart disease is the most common cause of death on a worldwide scale. In 2016, about 17.9 million people died because of various heart conditions, which makes up for unbelievable 31% of all deaths in that year.
Clearly, the health of your heart is not something to be taken lightly. Unfortunately, the modern lifestyle rarely allows us to pause and think about improving our health. That means that we skip doctor's appointments, take the easy way when it comes to our diet, and generally avoid physical activity. All of these facts are extremely worrying because they prevent early detection of any problems that your body may be facing.
In truth, not everything can be prevented. Still, we can avoid or alleviate plenty of heart-related issues by making certain adjustments to our lifestyle. These suggestions are not extremely intrusive and don’t require a lot of time and effort, but they can improve the health of your heart.
Floss daily
This one may seem a bit odd, but in order to maintain your health, you need to floss daily. Research has recorded that people who have gum disease are at a higher risk of developing heart disease. This is still fairly unexplored, and the scientists who work on this correlation are still not sure what is the exact correlation between the two, but the fact remains that people with gum disease have heart-related issues more often. Therefore, make sure you floss at least once a day – it’s good for your smile too!
Sleep enough
One study has found that among 3000 people of over 45, those who slept less than 6 hours a night were two times more likely to get heart disease than those who slept 6 to 8 hours a night. Sleep deprivation increases dramatically the risk of developing a heart-related issue. Make sure you speak at least 6 or 7 hours every night. If you have troubles falling asleep, remove all technology from your bedroom, and make sure no light can penetrate the room. Meditate for a short time, and try to clear your head before you go to bed. This will help you fall asleep quicker and it will improve the quality of your sleep.
Avoid sitting down for too long
The sedentary lifestyle is something we can't really escape. If you work in an office, chances are that you'll be sitting for 8 hours a day. Now, this is bad for your health, no matter how much exercise you do afterward. Researchers claim that there was a 147% increase in cardiovascular diseases among those who sit the most, and 90% increase in death caused by those diseases. Though this sounds very alarming, there is a simple solution for this – get up from time to time. Park a bit away, so you'll have to walk a bit to your office. When you are working, get up and stretch every hour or so. Finally, do exercise as often as you can.
Stop smoking
Smoking is one of the worst habits to have when you consider the health of the heart. The chemicals in tobacco affect your blood cells, cause inflammation, and can provoke buildup in the blood vessels. All of these can lead to serious consequences, and can even result in death. Therefore, it’s important to avoid tobacco and tobacco smoke like a plague – even secondhand smoke.
Have regular check-ups
Regular checkups with your doctor are important for a number of reasons. Make sure you always follow through with the appointments, because early diagnosis can be the difference between life and death. If your doctor finds anything disturbing, the best course of action is to talk to a specialist cardiologist like Sean Gomes to get expert opinion and advice. Remember, the sooner you know what you're dealing with, the better your chances are.
Laugh every day
Sure, your health is not a laughing matter – but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t laugh. Laughter is actually extremely good for the heart because it causes the tissue of the blood vessels to expand, which allows a better blood flow. So, when you laugh, the blood pressure rises, and when you stop, it drops, making you feel relaxed and at ease. Therefore, play an episode of your favorite sitcom, and don’t be afraid to roar with laughter!
Get a pet
It’s unclear why, but people who own pets don’t suffer from heart disease as often as people without pets. It may be the regular exercise – if you own a dog, you have to walk it. Another option is that pets reduce stress levels because they make us more cheerful, which reflects well on our heart condition. Whatever the reason is, the fact remains that pets help reduce the risk of heart-related issues in their owners. So, if you like animals, don’t hesitate, and get yourself a furry companion.
Eat well
Eating is one of the most important things when it comes to the health of the heart. It can destroy your health over time, or it can improve it significantly. Avoid saturated fats and highly processed foods, and increase the intake of veggies and nuts. Fish is excellent for the heart, and so are legumes. Make sure you eat well, and your heart will thank you for it.
Keep heart diseases at bay with these simple tricks, and you won’t have to worry about medications and hospital bills.
Guest post by Neil White
About the Author
Neil is a student of web design who enjoys writing a great content. His home is the whole world because he travels a lot. While you are reading this he is probably somewhere other than where he was yesterday.
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