During the month of February many individuals focus on the heart. For some Valentine’s Day is the only day that the heart is important, but for others taking care of the heart is an important part of their lives all the time. Maintaining a healthy heart is vital for healthy living. When the heart stops, essential functions fail, some instantly.
Functions of the heart
The heart beats about 2.5 billion times over the average lifetime, pushing millions of gallons of blood to every part of the body. This steady flow carries with it oxygen, fuel, hormones, other compounds, and a host of essential cells. It also serves to take away the waste products of metabolism. The functions of the heart can fail especially if you consistently have a poor diet, live a sedentary life, smoke, have infections and sometimes inherit bad genes. A major factor influencing heart health is atherosclerosis. This is the accumulation of pockets of cholesterol-rich deposits inside your arteries. These pockets, called plaque, can limit blood flow through arteries that nourish the heart — the coronary arteries — and other arteries throughout the body. When a plaque breaks apart, it can cause a heart attack or stroke.
Although many people develop some form of cardiovascular disease (a catch-all term for all the diseases affecting the heart and blood vessels) as they get older, it is not inevitable. A healthy lifestyle, especially when started at an early age, goes a long way to preventing cardiovascular disease. Lifestyle changes and medications can help prevent heart-harming trends, like high blood pressure or high cholesterol, in the body before they cause damage. A variety of medications, operations, and devices can help support the heart if it is damaged and diagnosed at an early stage.
Improving the health of your heart
Many individuals in Anguilla die from heart-related conditions. Many of these deaths can be prevented by adopting lifestyle changes and managing risk factors. The following are recommended to improve heart health:
1. Exercise regularly. Your heart is a muscle and, as with any muscle, exercise is what strengthens it. It is important to find an activity that you enjoy and are willing to continue doing for a long time in the future.
2. Quit smoking.
Quitting smoking is not easy, but you should know that smoking is a major factor in heart disease. If you need help quitting, please seek professional help.
3. Lose weight if you are overweight or obese.
Losing weight is more than just diet and exercise. It is a personal journey that involves finding what works for you. Going on a fad diet is useless.
4. Eat heart-healthy foods.
5. Do not overeat especially during the holidays or on special occasions.
Eating a lot of food at once leads to:
• Blood shifting from the heart to the digestive system
• Faster and irregular heart rhythms which can lead to heart attack or heart failure
6. Manage stress.
You must develop strategies to dealing with stress. These may include medication, prayer, fasting, exercise, and many others.
7. Regular medical checkups. It is important to have regular medical checkups and have the relevant screening tests. If required your doctor might refer you to an internist or cardiologist for further management.
Conclusion
Your heart is the most important muscle in your body, and you must always look at ways to protect it and prevent disorders that can affect the heart. When your heart does not get the care it needs, serious problems can develop that can lead to premature death or serious illness. Adopting a few lifestyle changes can go a long way in improving heart health. Some individuals manage to overhaul their exercise pattern, diet, and unhealthy habits with ease – for others if might be more challenging. It is important to start with small steps and be persistent. You might be able to improve your heart’s health with a series of slight changes so why not start today.
Ask Your Doctor is a health education column and is not a substitute for medical advice from your physician. The reader should consult his or her physician for specific information concerning specific medical conditions. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all information presented is accurate, as research and development in the medical field are ongoing, it is possible that new findings may supersede some data presented.
Dr Brett Hodge is an Obstetrician/Gynecologist and Family Doctor. Dr Hodge has a medical practice in The Johnson Building in The Valley (Tel: 264 4975828).
