Considering the fact that heart disease can be life threatening, prevention is the best medicine to treat it. Your awareness plays the key role here. If you want to increase the odds of living a long and healthy life and reduce the risks of cardiac disease, you must take sincere steps to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Monitoring and modifying certain risk factors is very important to prevent heart disease. It is very important for you to understand that all the risk factors that may lead to a cardiac problem are interrelated. Following is a brief insight into some of the preventive measures that you can take to avoid the risk factors.
Avoid Alcohol And Stop Smoking
Quitting smoking is often very difficult, but if you do not want to cut your life short, you must stop smoking at once. Get advice and support from your health care provider. He/she will tell you how to make this difficult task an easier one.
It is also important for you to understand that passive smoking, chewing tobacco, and/or smoking cigars can be equally injurious to health. So, stay away form them, as well. Likewise, if you are a heavy drinker, you should cut down the quantity. Better, if you quit drinking completely. Always remember, large amounts of alcohol can damage the heart muscle, cause heart rhythm disturbances, and increase blood pressure. So, if at all you have to drink, make sure that your intake is not more than 1-2 drinks per day.
You Must Know Your Cholesterol Level
Keeping your blood cholesterol levels in check is another great way to prevent heart disease. Every adult must know his/her cholesterol level.
• If the cholesterol level is high, you must consult your doctor immediately. Your health care provider will suggest you a diet plan, and if that is not enough, you may also be prescribed some cholesterol-lowering drugs and medications.
• The cholesterol level is considered as high when the level of bad cholesterol (LDL) is above 130 mg/dL or the normal cholesterol level is greater than 240 mg/dL.
Balanced Diet
Following a well balanced diet is also very important to avoid the risk factors and prevent heart disease.
• Make sure that the amount of calories from fat is not greater than 30% of total calories that you get from your diet plan.
• Foods with large amounts of fat and cholesterol should be avoided at all cost because they can eventually lead to clogging and hardening of coronary arteries.
• A well balanced diet will not only control your cholesterol levels but will also take care of your weight and blood pressure.
• Stay away from fast food.
Lose Extra Weight
If you are gaining extra weight, you must take serious steps for that, as the extra weight will put more strain on the blood and heart vessels.
• Following a high-fiber, low-fat diet and regular exercise is a good way to lose extra weight.
• Get the advice from your health care provider before choosing to go for a nontraditional weight loss program.
Besides all that, you are also recommended to increase your physical activity in order to prevent heart disease. Exercise does not only control extra weight but also increases the level of good cholesterol and keeps the blood pressure normal. However, you must consult your doctor before starting an exercise program.