Heart disease prevention techniques
By leading a heart-healthy lifestyle, you can stave off heart disease. Here are some tips to keep your heart safe.
Although heart disease is one of the primary causes of death, it is preventable. While some risk factors, like age, and family history, cannot be changed, there are several strategies to lower your risk of heart disease.
Start by implementing these first seven heart health recommendations:
Quit smoking and using tobacco.
Stopping to use tobacco products, including smokeless tobacco, is one of the finest things you can do for your heart. Avoid secondhand smoke at all costs, even if you don't smoke.
The heart and blood arteries can be harmed by the chemicals in cigarettes.
Aim for daily activity of at least 30 to 60 minutes.
Regular exercise can reduce the risk of developing heart disease. Your weight can be controlled by exercise. Additionally, it lowers the likelihood of acquiring additional illnesses including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes that could strain the heart.
If it has been a while since you were active, you might need to gradually work up to these objectives, but in general, you should aim for at least:
150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, 75 minutes per week of brisk aerobic exercise, like running two or more times a week of weight training even shorter intervals
Alcohol
If you drink alcohol, do not exceed the recommended limits:
men and women are advised not to regularly drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week
spread your drinking over 3 or more days if you regularly drink as much as 14 units a week
14 units is equivalent to 6 pints of average-strength beer, or 10 small glasses of low-strength wine.
Find out more about alcohol units.
Regularly exceeding the recommended alcohol limits raises your blood pressure and cholesterol level, increasing your risk of a heart attack.
Avoid binge-drinking, which is drinking lots of alcohol in a short space of time or drinking to get drunk.
Binge-drinking can cause a sudden and large rise in your blood pressure, which could be potentially dangerous.
Research has found people who have had a heart attack and continue to binge-drink are twice as likely to die from a serious health condition, such as another heart attack or stroke, compared with people who moderate their drinking after having a heart attack.
Find tips for cutting down on alcohol.
Contact your GP if you find it difficult to moderate your drinking. Counselling services and medicines can help you reduce your alcohol intake.
Find out more about alcohol support.
Weight
Being overweight forces your heart to work harder to pump blood around your body, which can raise your blood pressure. Use the BMI healthy weight calculator to find out if you are a healthy weight for your height.
If you do need to lose weight, remember that losing just a few kilos will make a positive difference to your blood pressure and health.
Find out more about how to start losing weight.
Exercise
Being active and doing regular exercise will lower your blood pressure by keeping your heart and blood vessels in good condition. Regular exercise can also help you lose weight, which will help to lower your blood pressure.
Low-impact activities such as walking, swimming and cycling are recommended. More strenuous activities, such as playing football and squash, may not be suitable for you. Check with the doctor in charge of your care.
Find out more about the benefits of walking, swimming for fitness and how to start cycling
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