Cardiac Health- Healthy
Heart , Healthy Living
Cardiac Health- Healthy Heart , Healthy Living
What is the meaning of cardiac health?
How do I know if my heart is healthy?
Here some ways to tell if your heart is healthy — now and in the future:
1) Heart Rate
For most adults, the normal resting heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. Factors like stress, anxiety, medication and how physically active you are can affect your heart rate.
2) Breathing
If you’re able to perform moderate-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking, without chest pain or tightness or difficulty breathing, it may mean that you have a healthy heart. However, shortness of breath while lying down may also indicate a cardiac issue.
3)Energy Levels
If you have a tired feeling all the time and difficulty with everyday activities, such as shopping, climbing stairs, carrying groceries or walking, you may be experiencing fatigue. This could be a sign of heart disease such as heart failure.
Not getting enough sleep, sleeping poorly and sleep disorders have been linked to a higher risk for heart disease.
Recent study findings also suggest that people who got less than six hours of sleep had a 25 percent greater risk of having poor cardiovascular health than those who slept longer.
4) Blood Pressure
Having normal blood pressure is a sign of a healthy heart. Normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mm Hg.
It is recommended getting a home blood pressure monitor to take measurements on a regular basis because high blood pressure increases the risk for heart attack and stroke, and you may not notice anything until you have a heart attack or stroke.5) Don’t Skip Regular Screenings
Maintaining regular annual visits with a primary care physician or a cardiologist is key to monitoring heart health and detecting any problems early.
Even if you’re healthy, there are still things your physician can look for and screening for.
“ It’s better to be Safe than sorry ’’
What exercise can I do to boost my heart health?
Exercises that boost your heart health are :
What it does: Aerobic exercise improves circulation, which results in lowered blood pressure and heart rate.
How much Ideally, at least 30 minutes a day, at least five days a week.
Examples: Brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling, playing tennis and jumping rope.2) Resistance Training (Strength Work)
What it does: For people who are carrying a lot of body fat (including a big belly, which is a risk factor for heart disease), it can help reduce fat and create leaner muscle mass. Research shows that a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance work may help raise HDL (good) cholesterol and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.
How much: At least two nonconsecutive days per week of resistance training is recommended.
Examples:
3) Stretching, Flexibility and Balance
What they do: Flexibility workouts, such as stretching benefits musculoskeletal health, which enables you to do the exercises that help your heart.
How much: Every day and before and after other exercise.
Examples: It is recommended to do basic stretches you can do at home easily , or you can find DVDs or YouTube videos to follow (though check with your doctor if you’re concerned about the intensity of the exercise).
What is a cardiac health diet?
“Cardiac diet” is an unofficial term for a heart-healthy diet. It's an eating plan that emphasizes foods that promote heart health, such as vegetables and fruits, whole grains, lean poultry and oily fish like salmon and tuna that are high in omega-3 fatty acids.
What can you do to strengthen your heart ?
You can strengthen your heart by:
- Exercise regularly Your heart is a muscle and exercise is what strengthens it.
- Quit smoking Quitting smoking is tough. But you know that it’s important to quit, and one of the biggest reasons is that it’s linked to heart disease.
- Lose weight Losing weight is more than just diet and exercise.
- Eat heart-healthy foods Cooking with nutrient-rich foods, such as salmon and avocado, is one of several easy ways to improve your heart health.
- Don’t forget the chocolate Alcohol and cocoa (a key ingredient in chocolate) have antioxidants that have been shown to increase good cholesterol, lower bad cholesterol and improve blood clotting function but only in moderate amount.
- Don’t overeat Eating a lot of food at once leads to: Blood shifting from the heart to the digestive system Faster and irregular heart rhythms, which can lead to heart attack or heart failure
- Don’t stress Biochemical responses to stress causes rise in blood pressure and a faster heart rate.
