World Heart Day- 13 Ways That Will Help To Keep Your Heart Healthy

Cardiovascular diseases cause the highest number of deaths all over the world. The health of our hearts depends upon a lot of lifestyle factors. Poor nutrition choices, bad lifestyle decisions, and improper mental health care can result in strokes, heart attacks, embolisms, and coronary heart disease.

Heart disease affects about 2.4 million Canadian adults and is the second leading cause of death, according to Health Canada. It’s also the most common cause of disability worldwide, says Canada Safety Council.

Prevention is key because almost 80% of premature heart disease and stroke can be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

Here are 13 ways to keep your heart healthy:

* Eat healthy

Eating fresh produce and eliminating processed foods from your diet will reduce trans- fats, the number one cause of heart disease in men and women.

* Anti-Oxidants Intake

By increasing your intake of antioxidants found in berries, artichokes, nuts, leafy greens, and citrus fruits you can ensure good heart health.

* Quit Smoking

Smoking causes the blood vessels going to and fro from the heart to constrict, increasing the odds of getting a heart attack. Quit smoking to keep your heart happy.

* Regular Exercise

Aerobics, Zumba, yoga, swimming, brisk walking, jogging, and taekwondo will increase heart rate which keeps the system functioning well.

* Bust the Stress

Stress makes us indulge in unhealthy activities like drinking, eating junk and smoking. Find ways to de-stress and learn to practice deep breathing exercises.

* Delete Cholesterol

Avoid processed foods, eat natural and healthy and your cholesterol levels will see a dip.

* Be physically active

A 2017 study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that older adults who engaged in regular, moderate leisure-time physical activity were less likely to develop heart disease and had fewer deaths from heart attack and stroke. Exercise improves your heart’s health by lowering blood pressure, reducing the risk of blood clots, stabilizing blood sugar levels, and improving the ratio of unhealthy to healthy cholesterol in your body.

* Eat nutritious, healthy foods

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grain foods, and foods with protein such as fish, beans, lentils, lower fat dairy products and lean meat, says Heart and Stroke. Limit foods and drinks high in calories, sugar, salt and additives.

* Maintain a healthy weight

Even losing a little extra weight can help lower your risk of heart disease, says the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).

* Monitor and manage high-risk conditions

Early detection and management of medical conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes helps lower heart disease risk, says PHAC.

* Reduce stress.

Stress increases the risk of heart attack, says Harvard Medical School. Stress-busting strategies include getting enough sleep, regular exercise, relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga or tai chi, or listening to music you love.

* Limit alcohol use

Drinking too much alcohol raises blood pressure. Men should stick to no more than two drinks a day, and women no more than one, advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

* Live tobacco-free

Smokers are three times more likely to suffer a stroke or die of heart disease, says Heart and Stroke. If a person smokes, quitting immediately lowers the risk of heart attack and stroke.