The heart is a major organ of the body that works without ever taking a break. If the heart ever stops working, you will also die. Therefore, maintaining heart health is something that you should never overlook.
- Avoid risk factors that contribute to heart problems such as smoking, eating starchy, sweet or fatty food, and lack of exercise. These factors contribute to obesity, diabetes and hypertension, which can lead to heart disease.
- Regularly check blood pressure and cholesterol levels in the blood vessels. Try to control blood pressure to remain below 115/75. This is because blood pressure is a greater risk factor for heart disease than cholesterol. Regular exercise and efforts to reduce abdominal fat (fat around the waist) can help lower blood pressure. Furthermore, receive regular cholesterol check-ups and try to have good cholesterol (HDL) levels higher than 50 through regular exercise.
- Rest sufficiently and avoid work stress. Because stress increases heart rate, the body will release lipids into the bloodstream, increase glucose concentration in the blood, and the body will release a chemical that accelerates the process for blood vessels to harden.
- Control and prevent excessive weight gain. Regularly consume fruits and vegetables like spinach, carrots, peaches and berries. They are rich in beneficial vitamins, antioxidants and fiber.
- Receive health check-ups by at least once annually to determine the health of your heart. Do so by receiving chest x-ray and regular electrocardiogram (EKG) along with exercise stress test (EST). For people who are not able to run on the treadmill, there is echocardiography as well. However, if there are intermittent symptoms of chest pain, you should immediately consult a doctor.
