All You Need to Know about Prevention of Heart Disease
- Cardiovascular health is important for a long life. There are ways to lower your risk for heart disease
- A great way to protect against heart disease is cholesterol control. Be aware of your HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. You want to avoid high cholesterol and smoking cigarettes
- You should also monitor your weight. A good way to do this is by using the body mass index
The heart and associated blood-vessels have their own branch of medicine called cardiology. Cardiology is the study of the heart and it entails the functions of the heart, its disorders, diagnosis, and management of disease. Cardiovascular disease is a major contributing factor resulting in physical disabilities and untimely deaths in developed countries. The death toll due to cardiovascular disease ranges between 40 to 60 percent in such countries. Meanwhile, the rise of cardiovascular disease is not going to lessen but quite possibly the opposite. It is rapidly affecting young people, making this issue one of the most serious medical and social problems of our time. However, it is important to know that there are measures that can be taken to prevent or at least to lower the risk of heart disease. So what can be done about it?
Cholesterol Control – One of the major risk factors for heart disease is high blood cholesterol. There are a few things which you can do about it. Be aware of your the HDL or “good” and LDL or “bad” levels of your cholesterol. A blood test from your physician can determine these results. If the results show there are high levels of bad cholesterol, one of the first steps in lowering it is physical exercise. Try to incorporate physical activities into your daily schedule. Before you start, talk to your doctor about the right kind of exercise program for you. Try to work up to exercising 4 to 6 times a week each lasting for at least 30 minutes. Elevating HDL levels is actually good as that helps protect the heart and vessels.
Diet and Nutrition – What else can help you keep your blood pressure and cholesterol at the normal levels? A healthy diet and proper nutrition can. Be aware of what you eat everyday. Avoid eating saturated fats and foods that foods that contain high cholesterol and sodium (salt). Eating foods that have less sodium and low-cholesterol like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and fish will help. By doing so you may help prevent obesity and diabetes as well. Keeping a healthy weight is also of great importance.
Healthy Weight – As it was said before, physical exercise and proper food will help you to maintain better cholesterol levels and achieve a healthy weight range. The “body mass index” (BMI) is what assesses the healthy weight status in adults. BMI helps to determine the amount of fat in your body. If a person has a BMI of 30 or higher, this person is considered to be obese, a BMI of 25 to 30 is considered to be overweight, and a BMI of 25 or below is considered to be acceptable. Please note, this is not a set in stone rule as people’s body framework varies.
High Blood Pressure – It is very important to monitor your blood pressure. High cholesterol induced plaque results in constriction of the arteries contributing to high blood pressure. A healthy lifestyle incorporating the steps mentioned previously will help you to keep your blood pressure at the normal range. If your blood pressure is high, work with your doctor to bring it down with proper nutrition and exercise and if necessary, medication.
Tobacco Control – Smoking cigerettes can only cause harm in many ways. If you smoke, you increase the risk of disease as smoking can elevate your blood pressure. The chemicals in smoke can actually constrict the blood vessles thereby diminishing bloodflow and availability of oxygen. Your doctor can help you quit smoking by suggesting different programs aimed to help you quit and how to avoid starting again. If you live with a smoker, breathing in second hand smoke can also affect your health. Encourage them to stop smoking and also seek advice from a doctor if necessary.
Alcohol – It has been stated that a modest intake of alcohol that contains naturally occurring antioxidants lowers the risk of high blood pressure and heart attacks. Excessive drinking is a hazard and can lead to unnecessary problems.
Prevention is definitely the best medicine you can have control over. It is always easier and preferrable to prevent an illness from occurring than having to treat it once that illness has established itself in your system. Be serious and responsible when it comes to your health, be informed and protect yourself.
A supplement like Co Q10 200 Sublingual can help you maintain a proper cardiovascular function and Cholest Solve 24/7can help you maintain the right cholesterol levels.
The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.
One Response to “All You Need to Know about Prevention of Heart Disease” |
I knew that smoking was going to be something that causes heart disease. I didn't know all about all of these other things. Fantastic info! Thanks a lot!March 29th, 2009 at 11:24 am