Lifestyle Changes For Heart Disease Prevention

Heart health can be a fragile thing, so it's important to take steps in your daily life to prevent heart disease. Here are some of the best lifestyle changes to make in order to prevent heart disease. 

Be Physically Active

Exercise plays a big role in keeping your cardiovascular system healthy. In order to use the benefits of exercise to improve your heart health, get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. If you break that down per day, it's only a little over 20 minutes, making it easy to fit into a lunch break. If you would prefer to exercise at a higher intensity, the requirements are 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week for heart health. 

Eat a Heart Healthy Diet

Many different factors go into a heart healthy diet that you can follow on a weekly basis. Fruits and vegetables provide the vitamins and minerals that support your overall health. Sources of whole grain, such as whole wheat flour and brown rice, are an important fixture in the heart healthy diet. 

When choosing heart healthy foods, be sure that how you're preparing them isn't negating the health benefits. Added salt and sugar in fruits and vegetables can have the opposite effects than what you intend. Likewise, preparing grains and meats with a lot of added fat can actually be bad for your heart. When possible, choose heart-healthy oils and non-salt seasonings. 

There are some foods to avoid, as well. Saturated fats can raise your cholesterol level and increase the buildup of plaque in your arteries. Limit choices like butter, cream, and bacon fat. You should also limit sources of sodium, since they can lead to high blood pressure. One simple way to do this is to prepare your own foods and choose natural snacks, such as almonds or avocados. 

See A Doctor

Heart doctors are not just for patients with existing heart conditions; getting your heart's health checked is an important part of any health routine. When you visit the heart doctor, they can make suggestions on how to improve your heart's condition and give you specialized tips for disease prevention. Regular visits to the heart doctor are especially important for individuals who have a family history of heart disease. 

Your lifestyle can go a long way in helping you prevent heart disease. These healthy lifestyle changes might have far-reaching effects for your health, and if you can incorporate them into your daily life, your heart doctor will certainly thank you. To find out more about the heart, speak with a business like Cardiology Associates of Schenectady PC.

Share