5 Scientifically Proven Ways to Keep Your Heart Healthy

September 29, 2021, is being celebrated as World Heart Day worldwide. Heart diseases or Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death worldwide as of now, accounting for about 33% of deaths globally. Approximately, 18.6 million die of heart disease each year. So, that you don’t end up contributing to such statistics, here are 5 scientifically proven ways to keep your heart healthy.

1. Exercise

It is a no-brainer that exercising improves heart health. The heart is a muscle and like any other muscle, with exercise, its strength increases. A sedentary lifestyle is a major risk factor for heart diseases. It only takes 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise like brisk walking at a pace of 3-4 miles an hour, cycling, swimming each day to make the heart stronger and keep it healthy. Apart from keeping the heart healthy, exercise also

• Reduces Body Weight
• Reduces Blood Pressure
• Increase HDL Cholesterol or the good cholesterol
• Decreases LDL Cholesterol or the bad cholesterol

2. Lose Weight

Obesity has been proved to cause multiple health issues including heart diseases. So, it is pertinent to reduce weight so as the BMI or Body Mass Index Stays within normal limits (Calculate Your BMI). If you are overweight or obese, a modest weight loss of 5-10% will decrease the risk of cardiovascular diseases substantially.

3. Heart-Healthy Foods to Eat

There are multiple pieces of evidence that a healthy diet is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular or heart diseases. The Mediterranean diet is one such example. Some foods found to have a beneficial effect on heart health include:

• Fruits and Vegetables
• Olive Oil
• Nuts
• Omega-3 Fatty Acid containing foods like salmon, mackerels
• Lycopene Containing foods like tomato, watermelons, papaya
• Polyphenol containing food items like black and green tea, red wine (to be consumed in moderation), and chocolate (to be consumed in moderation)

4. Quit Tobacco

Tobacco in form of smoking or any other form is the single most preventable cause of cardiovascular diseases. Tobacco is known to cause atherosclerosis which can lead to myocardial infarction and premature death. So, if you are addicted to it, quit it today for a better and healthier heart.

5. Avoid Stress

Psychological stress has been associated with negative cardiovascular death. Those who suffer from burnout syndrome carry a risk of developing cardiovascular or heart diseases prematurely. Over 1400 biochemical responses have been reported on exposure to stress and many of them negatively affect the heart. As such stress in life should be addressed with much seriousness like any other health issue, and if required consultation with a psychiatrist or psychologist should be done.

I hope you enjoyed reading about the 5 ways to improve heart health. If you want, you may share the post to help others achieve good heart health as well. Wishing you a Happy “World Heart Day” as well.