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Tips To Maintain a Healthy Heart

Heart is a vital organ, and it needs much care to keep it healthy and running. A healthy heart is a sign of a healthy body and can also help in keeping other diseases at bay. A healthy heart is all about a healthy and simple lifestyle. Keeping the heart healthy can increase the longevity and quality of life. Below are some tips to maintain a healthy heart.

Follow a healthy diet - A healthy diet can help in reducing the risk of heart disease. It is important to consume food that has the right balance of nutrients to achieve maximum health benefits. A well-balanced diet would include whole fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy products, protein-rich foods like eggs, fish, meat and nuts. Fatty, starchy and sugary foods like pastries, cakes must be consumed only in small quantities. Consuming much water and fiber would help in throwing the toxins out of the body. It is also important to limit the intake of salt. Consumption of salt attributes to high blood pressure that increases the risk of coronary heart diseases.

Work it out – The heart is a muscle that needs to be kept fit to pump blood to all the parts of the body. Regular and moderate-intensity exercise is highly recommended to have a control on the person’s blood pressure and body weight. Managing weight is another key factor, as excess fat is not good for the heart and can lead to coronary heart diseases and diabetes. So it is necessary to burn the extra fat and increase the activity of the heart by spending at least 30 minutes a day for exercises like brisk walking or cardio workouts in the gym.

Regular health checks - Regular assessment of one’s health by a physician is crucial. Getting the blood pressure and cholesterol levels regularly checked can prove to be very effective. High blood pressure can lead to the risk of stroke or heart attack. High levels of cholesterol in the blood can lead to fatty deposits in the coronary arteries which can increase the risk of life-threatening heart diseases and stroke. One can avail the facility of preventive health checks available at the Phoenix Family Medical Clinic to be on the safer side.

Avoid unhealthy habits- Habits like smoking and consumption of alcohol can damage the heart muscle, increase blood pressure and lead to weight gain. It is ideal to reduce the intake of alcohol to one to two units a day to reduce the risk of heart diseases. Quitting smoking is one important thing a person can do to live longer with a healthy heart.

Maintain stress levels - Studies have shown that people with high levels of stress and depression are under constant risk of developing heart diseases. To avoid stress, people may resort to unhealthy habits that can pose a higher risk to the heart. So it is important to manage stress levels with exercise or other activities that can divert one’s mind.

Heart diseases can be hereditary, so a person is at risk if there has been any history of heart disease in the family. However, one can be on the safer side by maintaining a healthy lifestyle and keeping the diseases at bay. Any sign of tightness or discomfort in the chest accompanied by sweating should be brought to the immediate notice of a doctor as it can be the first sign of an angina. The doctors at Phoenix Family Medical Clinic can help in guiding and providing care in case of any emergency.