One in four of all UK deaths are caused by heart and circulatory diseases. Below, you’ll find the habits you should consider to keep your heart healthy.
For the past year, the main health focus has been on the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it’s important to remember there are other health concerns that we are facing and that are still a global threat.
One of the most prevalent health issues is heart disease. There are currently 7 million people living with heart diseases in the UK today. A quarter of deaths due to these diseases are also premature. There is a significant chance that these deaths could have been prevented with the right lifestyle choices.
Indeed, the World Health Organization believes that 80% of heart disease deaths are preventable. Part of this is about ensuring that you do get the right treatment as soon as you notice symptoms. This is available from an approved online pharmacy but you should also be looking at what lifestyle factors impact your chances of developing this type of condition or potentially could make it worse.
A Lack Of Physical Exercise
Research has found that a lack of physical exercise may be more damaging to your health than smoking a pack of cigarettes each day. This is a concern, particularly when so many people are stuck sitting behind desks for the majority of the workday. That’s why it’s important to ensure that you are achieving the right amount of exercise.
Experts claim that 150 minutes of exercise each week can reduce the risk of heart disease by as much as 50%. Unfortunately, the latest statistics suggest that 27% of adults will complete less than 30 minutes of weekly exercise.
Do note, that if you are in control of your work environment, you can stay active here too. You might want to think about investing in a sit-stand desk so you stand and move around while typing at your computer.
Diet Choices
Diet Choices are another key factor that could contribute to your increased chances of developing heart disease. Many adults are not getting their recommended five portions a day. The body needs the right level of fruit and vegetables to remain healthy including natural foods with antioxidants. The process of oxidation has been linked to the development of certain types of heart disease. You can reduce issues here by getting foods that are packed with antioxidants. Eating five a day will help you reach this quota.
You also need to be careful of how many unhealthy foods you are consuming. For instance, it’s important to reduce your intake of the wrong fats. Consuming unhealthy fats could significantly increase your chances of heart disease.
Avoiding processed foods will also be a smart choice. Processed foods and microwaveable meals are often packed full of sugars and salt to mitigate the lack of flavor. This is going to play havoc with your heart health in the long term and could lead to complications. If you have a family history of heart disease, it is crucial to be mindful of the impact on your cardiovascular health when considering your diet choices. Opt for natural foods rich in antioxidants to combat the oxidation process associated with certain heart conditions. Additionally, reducing the consumption of unhealthy fats and avoiding processed foods, which are often high in sugar and salt, can help minimize the risk of heart-related complications in the long run.
Smoking Habits
The number of people who smoke has gradually been declining. However, 17% of people are believed to still smoke regularly despite the constant barrage of health warnings. Smoking is believed to contribute to more than 20,000 heart disease-related deaths in the UK each year.
Giving up smoking can be a difficult battle. Experts claim that people will often relapse because they try to go cold turkey. Rather than quitting smoking suddenly, it is often going to be more effective to reduce nicotine levels slowly over time until you can get your levels down to zero. This is possible using everything from patches to vaping products.
Alcohol Consumption
A little alcohol such as red wine may provide certain health benefits however a lot can be catastrophic for your physical health. Research shows that exceeding your alcohol limit regularly will increase your weight as well as your blood pressure. This is going to have the side effect of weakening your heart muscles overall.
Research also suggests that excessive drinking tends to increase as we age. This is a concern, as older people are more at risk of heart-disease related complications. It’s important to work to reduce your levels of alcohol consumption and ensure that you are not exceeding the recommended weekly limit.
Mental Health Concerns
Physical factors are critical when assessing your risk of developing heart conditions. However, research also suggests that your mental health can have an impact too. There are various reasons why you might feel stressed and overwhelmed. For instance, one report found 90% of people felt significantly stressed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you are feeling stressed, it’s important to ensure that you don’t suffer in silence. You need to take steps to relax and maintain your mental health. This will improve your overall wellbeing and help you avoid the mechanisms that could lead to issues with heart disease.
Getting Checked Out
One of the easiest ways to prevent issues with heart disease is to make sure that you are getting regular checkups with a medical professional. The right checkups will ensure that the signs of heart disease aren’t missed. If you are in a high-risk group, you should think about visiting a cardiologist at least once per year and make sure that you are attending recommended heart screenings.
Your doctor will also be able to recommend different treatment options as well as the lifestyle changes that will be right for you. This could include changes to your diet and combating unhealthy habits that are putting additional pressure on your heart.
Heart disease is still a major health concern for people, particularly as we age. To reduce issues with heart disease, it is important to consider making some lifestyle alterations. The research here is clear. The key changes to your lifestyle could one day be responsible for saving your life or at the very least ensure that you achieve a higher quality of living. Particularly as you head towards your twilight years.
