God has given you a subconscious mind to take care of your heartbeat, but you also have your part to play to keep that heart healthy.
If you fail to do this vital part, the heart fails and this failure is often referred to heart attack.
Everyday, one question that hardly comes to the mind of anyone is; how good is my heartbeat?
It is great that the subconscious is controlling how the heart beats. We totally do not have control over it as humans.
However, no one leaves the engine of his car to run on old oil without servicing it.
The same thing is applicable to the heart. It also needs servicing.
If left unserviced, there are chances that clogs (deposits as bad cholesterol in the arteries) could begin to block the pipe that blood flows through.
Each day, your heart beats around 100,000 times, continuously pumping about five litres (eight pints) of blood around your body.
This is done through a network of blood vessels called your circulatory system.
This blood delivers oxygen and nutrients to all parts of your body. The blood also carries away unwanted carbon dioxide and waste products. All these happen faster than you can imagine.
Your heart and circulatory system work together to deliver blood to your organs so they can function.
Heart Diseases’ Risk Factors
However, a narrowed arteries results in problems that are often referred to as cardiovascular diseases – heart attack, angina and stroke.
These diseases or conditions are often as a result of gradual build-up of fatty material (atheroma) within the blood vessel walls.
When nothing is done about it over time, it will block your arteries, stopping them from delivering enough blood to your heart or brain. This can lead to a heart attack, stroke and vascular dementia.
A medical doctor with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Ugochuwkwu Eze, said many heart and circulatory diseases share the same risk factors.
He listed them to include, poorly managed diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, being overweight or, obese, smoking and drinking too much alcohol.
Interestingly, there are things that you can do to reduce risk and keep your heart healthy.
Since we have identified the reasons the heart could perform poorly, reversing those would reduce the risk.
Here are 8 ways to stay safe.
1. Exercise
The level of sedentary lifestyle engagements for individuals is increasing and that should be addressed.
Do you know that the heart is a muscle? Do you know that like any other muscle in your body, it also needs physical activity to help it work properly?
The world Health Organization recommends at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week.
Explore indoor exercises and workouts to keep the heart fit enough to perform its function.
2. Avoid Trans Fat
Trans fat are the bag guys and should be eliminated from your meals as much as possible. Give attention to the volume of fat in every oil that you buy and cook with.
A 2014 study highlighted that Trans Fat Acid (TFA) increases the ratio of (bad) LDL cholesterol to HDL cholesterol.
“Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and World Health Organization have come up with the recommendation that the contents of TFA in human dietary fat should be reduced to less than 4%,”the research stated.
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Also, watch out for them in your processed food. They really, really clog arteries.
These fat also contribute to overweight which is another risk factor for heart disease.
3. Eliminate Anxiety And Stress
Worries or anxiety could become a major problem for the heart, triggering cardiovascular disease.
Anxiety disorders alter the stress response, affecting the same brain systems that influence cardiovascular functions such as heart rate
According to the Harvard Medical School, “people who have generalised anxiety disorder seem to suffer higher rates of heart attack and other cardiac events.
So, watch your anxiety and stress levels, as they would help your heart function better.
4. Get Good Sleep Always
Sleep deprivation is one thing that also triggers stress and at the same time transfers the burden to the heart.
Getting a good sleep is very important to help your heart also ‘rest’ and function better.
Health practitioners recommend 8 hours of good sleep daily.
5. Know Your Blood Sugar Level
Knowing your blood sugar level is very important, especially for persons who have genetic history of diabetes in their family. If a father had it, the female children are more at risk and vice-versa.
Don’t say God forbid and lead a reckless life, hoping that God will help you keep your sugar level at a great rate.
You have your part to play to keep your body fit and strong for the activities of life and for optimum productivity.
Avoid sweetened drinks as much as you can for in those processed drinks are very high quantity of sugar which is not healthy for you.
Being sure of what your blood sugar level is per time helps you stay safe.
6. Know Your Blood Pressure
More so, knowing your blood pressure is a good habit, as it helps you maintain a blood pressure that will help your heart stay safe.
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You can get a blood pressure monitor or a smart watch with a blood pressure monitor. this is necessary, especially if you are over 40 years. These gadgets will help you keep track of what the figures are.
God has given you a subconscious mind that takes care of your heartbeat, but you must also play your role in making sure that the heart functions well.
7. Quit Smoking
Tobacco is not a good substance for your heart and this is the reason there is always a warning that goes with the pack of cigarette.
Researches have also shown that smokers are almost twice as likely to have a heart attack compared to people who have never smoked.
8. Moderate Alcohol Intake
Moderation of alcohol intake is necessary for every individual to help your heart function better.
If at all, red wine should be taken at very moderate quantity. But you must also be sure that it was not sweetened with plenty sugar.
Kindly share with your family and loved ones to enable them know the best ways to take care of their heart