13 Surprising Ways to Supercharge Heart Health
Though our brains control our bodies, they will never function properly without the blood pumped by our hearts. That's why taking steps to improve your heart health from an early age is so important.
Several vices, such as smoking and drinking, can severely damage your arteries and heart. Aside from this, one’s lifestyle also plays a significant role in shaping one’s cardiovascular health. Habits are hard to change, so it’s understandable that some people are intimidated or find it difficult to make the necessary changes to improve their well-being.
Even so, we must be determined and take the appropriate steps to care for our hearts better. If you need something to kickstart your journey to a healthier lifestyle, check out this list of the top 13 effective ways to improve your heart health.
Stop Smoking And Steer Clear Of Secondhand Smoke
Smoking is a vice that damages our bodies from the inside out. In fact, when you purchase cigarettes, you’ll more often than not be faced with images of how smoking affects the body, possibly as a deterrent for you to buy these goods.
Sadly, not a lot of people heed these warnings. In the long run, they end up damaging their lungs, blood vessels, and heart. By damaging our blood vessels, smoking reduces the flow of blood to our hearts, thus increasing the risk of heart attack; in addition to this, smoking also speeds up the narrowing or clogging of coronary arteries.
However, those who smoke aren’t the only ones affected; people who are exposed to secondhand smoke can also experience the side effects of this vice. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains that nonsmokers who breathe in secondhand smoke can increase their risk of developing heart disease by 25 to 30%. Aside from this, they’re also 20 to 30% more prone to experiencing stroke.
Drink Alcohol Responsibly And In Moderation
Though alcohol is commonly regarded as something that can damage one’s liver, it unfortunately also affects other organs in the body. One of the things that it targets is one’s heart health.
When you drink, you may notice that your heart starts beating faster — like you’re having palpitations. This is because alcohol consumption slows down breathing while dilating our blood vessels. This causes our hearts to pump harder and faster to circulate the same and proper amount in our bodies.
John Hopkins Medicine also notes that excessive alcohol intake can lead to stroke, heart failure, and high blood pressure. It can also contribute to cardiomyopathy, a disorder affecting one’s heart muscles.
Stay Within A Healthy Weight Range
Staying within a healthy weight range has many benefits. One is that it directly influences the well-being of our cardiovascular system.
It’s been a well-established fact that when you’re overweight or obese, you’re more prone to developing certain conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure. Sadly, high blood pressure is a common cause of heart attacks, too.
Don’t Skip Breakfast
There’s a reason why people say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Aside from giving us the energy we need to be productive, it also contributes to our health overall.
In fact, it’s believed that eating breakfast can lower the risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Eating breakfast in the morning wakes up your digestive system, allowing it to digest the food better, which is ultimately good for our hearts.
However, not all kinds of breakfasts are equal, and opting for pancakes doused in sugary sweet syrup can do more harm than good. Choose something healthier instead of consuming breakfast food high in fat, cholesterol, and added sugars. Eggs, oatmeal, greek yogurt, avocados, berries, tofu, and more are all great options.
Include A Variety Of Fruits And Vegetables In Your Diet
Experts believe that the more colorful our plate is, the better. Certain types of food have different benefits for our bodies, and they’re usually grouped in terms of color.
For example, blue and purple fruits and vegetables, like blueberries, can help prevent heart disease, cancer, or even stroke. They’re also known to be good for your memory and aging.
Incorporate Healthy Protein Sources, Like Lean Meats And Seafood
Protein is needed for our bodies to remain strong and healthy. However, certain proteins, like overly processed meat, can do more harm than good.
Because of this, it’s generally advised that we stick to healthy protein sources, like lean meats and fish. This includes chicken, turkey, salmon, and the like.
If you aren’t a fan of poultry and fish, you may opt for better meat cuts, like beef sirloin, lean ground beef, or pork shoulder. Vegetarians or vegans may choose black beans, chickpeas, or eggs as their primary protein source.
Go For Whole-grain Options
Whole-grain food options aren’t just good for your gut health; they’re an excellent choice of nutrition if you want to care for your heart, too. Whole grains provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which can control cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and even weight.
If you slowly but regularly incorporate them into your diet, you can also help lower your risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, and other health conditions. Plus, whole grains aren’t hard to find, and most of them are relatively affordable.
Oats can be a pantry staple if you want a versatile and affordable whole-grain option. Quinoa’s fiber can also help with cholesterol and blood sugar.
Opt For Minimally Processed Food
Our world today is designed for convenience. Because of this, processed food has become increasingly popular.
However, processed food can be very damaging to our health. We should avoid cereals, processed cheese, canned meat and vegetables, and microwave-ready meals.
Processed food is usually high in sugar, salt, and fat. Unfortunately, a study by the British Medical Journal reveals that the intake of ultra-processed food contributes significantly to the development of cardiovascular, coronary heart, and cerebrovascular diseases.
Lessen Your Sodium Intake
Sodium, commonly known as salt, is usually hidden in most of the food we consume. However, the problem is that too much sodium can cause fluid retention, which, in turn, can increase one’s blood pressure.
U.S. nutrition experts note that people 14 and older should consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium daily. However, the World Health Organization suggests sticking to a maximum of 2,000 milligrams.
Unfortunately, most people find it hard to stick to these limits, mainly because of the kind of food available to them. For example, one serving of the classic Spam variant contains 790 milligrams of sodium, leaving you with less than one-third of the suggested maximum daily sodium intake after just one meal.
Snack On Nuts
People love to snack, and there’s no inherent problem with snacking. Most of the time, consequences come from the types of snacks we consume versus the act itself.
It’s high time you start turning away from your go-to snacks like ice cream, cupcakes, and other sweets. Instead of reaching for your favorite gummies and candies, opt for nuts.
Nuts, after all, are believed to lower the levels of inflammation related to diabetes and heart disease. This means regularly eating nuts and adding them to your diet may improve your artery’s health and condition. Not all nuts are created equal, though; hazelnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, and almonds are amongst the best heart-healthy nuts you can choose.
Opt For Dark Chocolate Over Other Desserts
Even though we’re generally advised to veer away from sweets, if you have a sweet tooth, you need not worry. You can still satisfy your occasional chocolate craving if you stick to dark chocolate over white or milk chocolate.
Flavanols are plant chemicals that promote and support the production of nitric oxide. This colorless gas helps relax our blood vessels and improve blood flow. The good news for chocolate lovers is that dark chocolate contains anywhere between 50% to 90% cocoa solids, rich in flavanols.
Be Active And Maintain Regular Physical Activity
Exercise and physical activity are usually seen as something that can aid you in weight loss. While that’s true, they also positively affect other parts and systems of our body, like the cardiovascular system.
By working out, you lower your blood pressure and triglycerides. In the long run, you also reduce the risk of developing obesity and diabetes, which can help veer you away from a heart attack or stroke.
Manage Your Stress Levels Better
Stress is said to be connected to most if not all, conditions and illnesses that people go through. If you’re stressed, you can break out in hives and get acne; if you’re stressed, you can trigger your migraine; if you’re stressed, you can raise your blood pressure.
However, stress is a normal part of life, and we can’t avoid it. The best thing we can do is learn how to manage it better. After all, prolonged elevated stress levels can push us to develop chronic stress.
This will manifest in chest pains, irregular heartbeats, and shortness of breath. Worse, it can also increase your risk for heart attack and stroke.
