Vitamin C To Prevent Heart Attack

Vitamin C To Prevent Heart Attack

People with heart failure who don’t get enough vitamin C in their diet are almost twice as likely to suffer heart failure, compared to those who get enough vitamin C intake.

People with low vitamin C intake also have more than twice the level of C-reactive protein (CRP) in their blood. Where CRP levels have been linked to heart disease.

“The study is the first study to show that people with heart failure with adequate intake of vitamin C in their diet will live longer. Vitamin C, an antioxidant that can help people with heart failure by alleviating inflammatory conditions in the body,” said researcher Grace Song, PhD, RN, assistant professor from the nursing department, University of Ulsan, South Korea as reported by WebMD on Wednesday (11/16/2011).

Other researchers say it is not at all clear that vitamin C by itself can improve heart health. People who get enough vitamin C in their daily diet by eating lots of fruits and vegetables can be overall healthy.

“All we have known is that a diet high in fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of heart disease,” said Alice Lichtenstein, DSC, a nutritionist at Tufts University, Boston.

Foods rich in vitamin C include melons, red cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, oranges, papaya and kiwi. Based on the findings, people with heart failure don’t have to take vitamin C supplements.

“Research has shown that, vitamin C supplements do not improve the health of people with heart failure,” Lichtenstein said. The results of the study were presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions in 2011.

The study involved 212 people with heart failure. Their average age is 61 years, and about one third are women. The researchers continued to track all the food they ate for 4 days.

The study used a software program used to calculate vitamin C intake. 39 percent did not get enough vitamin C in their diet, according to criteria set by the Institute of Medicine.

The study participants were also given a blood test to measure CRP. Then participants were monitored for 1 year, during which time 61 patients, or 29 percent were hospitalized or died of heart disease.

Participants with lower vitamin C intake were more likely to have a shorter time to be hospitalized before death due to heart problems.

The research was funded by the American Heart Association, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Institute of Nursing Research. The research was indeed presented at a medical conference.

However, initial research must be considered because they have not undergone a peer review process. Where in the process experts outside examine the data before it is published in a medical journal. So that still need to be done various studies to confirm and support the results of these studies.

Heart Attack And Stroke – This Is the Difference That Not Many People Know

Heart Attack And Stroke – This Is the Difference That Not Many People Know

Many people are often mistaken when distinguishing strokes and heart attacks. Though both require different handling. Although these two medical conditions often occur suddenly but each has different symptoms. So, how to distinguish the symptoms of a heart attack from a stroke?

Of the causes, strokes and heart attacks are different
Causes of a heart attack
Heart attack is a medical condition that occurs due to narrowing of the coronary arteries (blood vessels that are in charge of supplying blood to the heart) so that blood flow becomes very limited and stops.

Blockage of the coronary arteries can occur if the blood cholesterol level is too high and eventually clogs the bloodstream. This condition makes the blood circulation slow down until it stops completely.

Causes of stroke
The most common type of stroke is ischemic stroke. Ischemic stroke occurs when the blood vessels responsible for supplying blood to the brain are blocked by frozen blood. The causes of ischemic stroke are as follows:

– Blood clots occur in the arteries found in the brain, this can cut blood circulation to the brain.
– There is a buildup of plaque in the carotid artery (in the neck area) which is responsible for carrying blood to the brain, then the plaque is released and goes to the blood vessels in the brain, which eventually results in a stroke.

Another type of stroke is hemorrhagic stroke. This condition occurs when blood vessels in the brain rupture and blood spills into the surrounding tissue. Leaking blood then builds up and blocks the surrounding brain tissue. One risk factor is high blood pressure where it suppresses the arterial wall causing hemorrhagic strokes.

Do not mistaken the symptoms of a heart attack with symptoms of a stroke
Indeed, sometimes the symptoms of a heart attack and stroke have similarities making it difficult to distinguish when symptoms appear. But actually, you can distinguish the signs of these two diseases by paying attention to the following:

Symptoms of a heart attack
The most common symptoms of a heart attack, namely:

– Chest feels painful and uncomfortable
– There is a feeling of discomfort in the upper body area
Hard to breathe
– Cold sweat appears
– fatigue
– Nausea and vomiting
– Mild headache

Symptoms of a heart attack can vary in each person, even some of them do not show any symptoms. While others experience symptoms of mild to severe heart attacks.

Most heart attacks occur suddenly but many people get “warnings” of heart attacks for hours, days, even weeks before.

Symptoms of stroke
Symptoms of stroke are visible, depending on which part of the brain is damaged. Stroke sufferers can experience a number of problems with memory, speech, muscle control, and various other functions.

Common stroke signs, including:

– Suddenly feeling numb or weak in the area of the face, arms, or legs that tends to occur only on one side of the body
– Difficulties in speaking or understanding the conversation
– Difficulty seeing with one or both eyes
– Sudden severe headaches, sometimes accompanied by vomiting, dizziness, and changing consciousness
– One side of the face looks “sagged” and does not function
– One arm is weak and numb

The American Stroke Association recommends the F.A.S.T method to make it easier for you to identify signs of stroke:

– F (Face or Face): When smiling, does one side of the face feel down or “down”?
– A (Arms or Arms): When you lift both arms, is one of the arms drooping limply and falling down?
– S (Speech or Talk): Is your speech unclear, like slurred or nasal? Are there difficulties when talking?
– T (Time or Time): We recommend that you immediately call 911 or visit the ER at the nearest health service, if you experience this

Differences in treatment of heart attacks and strokes
Handling a heart attack
The healing process of a heart attack needs more than just treatment and a healthy lifestyle change. In certain cases, Coronary Artery Baypass Graft and angioplasty surgery may be needed.

During the process of heart bypass surgery, the doctor will take blood vessels from other parts of your body and attach them to the blocked artery. This will change around the clogged part of the arteries.

Whereas in the angioplasty process, it is done by using a catheter that has a small balloon at the end. Then the catheter is inserted into a blood vessel, so the balloon will expand in the area where the blockage occurs. The balloon will press against the artery wall to trigger the opening of blood flow.

After the process is done, you are required to do cardiac rehabilitation. Usually, this lasts for several weeks accompanied by monitoring of diet, lifestyle, and medications to restore heart health.

Handling stroke
Usually, doing a healthy lifestyle is highly recommended during a stroke. If an ischemic stroke is detected within a few hours of the symptoms appearing, maybe the doctor will give a drug called tissue Plasminogen Activator (tPA), its function is to break the blood clots in the blood vessels.

While in some cases of hemorrhagic strokes, surgery needs to be done to repair damaged blood vessels. In some cases, the doctor will use a special clip to secure the part of the broken vein.

To find out which conditions you experience, you should consult a doctor. That way, you can get the right and fast treatment according to your conditions.

Heart Attack Aspirin – Benefits and Side Effects of Aspirin, the Multipurpose Drug

Heart Attack Aspirin – Benefits and Side Effects of Aspirin, the Multipurpose Drug

Aspirin is one of the oldest drugs in the world. This drug was first recorded used by the Sumerians and Egyptians in daily medicine, especially to treat pain. An ancient aspirin drug was made from willow leaf plants. Hippocrates also developed aspirin through extracts of this plant. Then, a lot of research was developed to find the various properties of aspirin and the dosage used. In fact, aspirin is now a drug that can overcome many health problems.

But, behind its multi-functional properties, this drug also has several side effects to watch out for. Are there any good drugs for a million people? Come on, follow the explanation below.

Multifunctional aspirin content
An aspirin drug, or in the pharmaceutical world called acetyl salicylate, is a form of processed salicin compound found in many plants. This compound has several functions, according to the dose. Basically, aspirin works to inhibit an enzyme that produces and regulates the work of prostaglandin, a compound in the body that is produced when inflammation occurs. So all things involving prostaglandin can be prevented by aspirin.

Some of the effects produced by aspirin include:

– Antipyretic effect → functions to reduce body temperature during a fever.
– Anti-inflammatory effects → function to relieve inflammation.
– Analgesic effects → pain relief.
– Anti-platelet effects → prevent blood cells (platelets)
stick to the walls of blood vessels, so that blood clots can be inhibited.

What is the right dose of aspirin?
There is a difference between over-the-counter and aspirin drugs prescribed by a doctor. Free-selling aspirin in pharmacies is usually available in the form of oral tablets, chewable tablets, powdered forms, as well as gum. Whereas the doctor prescribes usually in the form of periodic loose tablets, so that the drug can be released slowly. On periodic tablets, drug levels in the blood can be maintained and produce long-term therapeutic effects.

In the book pharmacology, Katzhung et al. Mentioned that aspirin drug dosages for anti-pain and anti-fever effects were 300-900 mg, given every 4-6 hours. The maximum dose is 4 grams a day, because if more than that, aspirin will show side effects. Whereas to get an anti-inflammatory effect, the dose used is 4-6 grams per day.

To get an anti-platelet effect, the dose used is 60-80 mg orally per day. In the process of blood clotting, aspirin inhibits the cyclooxygenase pathway that produces thromboxane A2 and prostaglandin which causes blood clots that may clog arteries.

Consumption of aspirin is recommended to follow the dosage according to your needs. In people who have impaired kidney and liver function, dosage adjustments are absolutely necessary. So even for long-term use. If you regularly take aspirin and will do surgery for either major surgery or minor surgery (such as removing teeth), aspirin consumption must be stopped to prevent bleeding during the operation.

Although aspirin is generally safe, but aspirin still has side effects, it can even be dangerous for some people. Therefore, safe consumption of aspirin must be under the supervision of a doctor.

Benefits of aspirin for health
1. Overcoming fever
When you have a fever and accompanying symptoms such as aching body, a single dose of aspirin can make you feel much better. Anti-pyretic compounds in aspirin can send signals to the brain to regulate body temperature, so that the fever can be overcome.

2. Effective headache medicine
Prostaglandin is a compound that is responsible for sending pain signals to the brain, while aspirin works to block these compounds, so it is useful for the treatment of headaches. Side headaches or migraines can be overcome by aspirin in a relatively fast time.

3. Good for skin health
Not only for the health of internal organs, aspirin is also useful as an external medicine due to its anti-inflammatory effects. Aspirin can remove pimples and insect bites on the skin. For this need, the use of aspirin is not taken, but is made in the form of dough / pasta.

An aspirin paste can be made from two crushed aspirin, plus a few drops of water. Simply apply to pimples or insect bites and let it dry. After that, rinse with water. Watch out for people who are sensitive to aspirin, because aspirin paste does not remove stains on the skin, but instead causes irritation.

4. Reducing mortality from cancer and fatty liver
The liver can experience fat in people who consume alcohol in the long run. Aspirin can inhibit this fatty liver process, so it does not fall into further complications, namely liver cancer. Several studies have also been developed to look for other benefits of aspirin. The result, a study from John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, showed that aspirin drugs can reduce deaths from several types of cancer.

The death rate fell 34% for all cancers and 54% for digestive cancer. After 20 years, the risk of cancer death was 20% lower in the group given aspirin than in the non-aspirin group. However, other studies are still ongoing and are expected to improve these results.

5. As a blood thinner
The anti-clotting effect that aspirin has makes this drug thin the blood. There are several preventable diseases, including coronary heart disease and blockage of veins due to sitting too long. Even though aspirin can help prevent a heart attack, patients may not take aspirin every day without the doctor’s advice. Usually the doctor will give aspirin as a blood thinner at:

– Patients who have had a heart attack or stroke
– Patients with heart rings / stents, or have undergone bypass surgery
– Patients at risk of having a heart attack and experiencing diabetes

Aspirin side effects that may occur
1. Bleeding internal organs
Its thinning blood can cause bleeding in various places in the body if consumed in unlimited quantities and over dosages. The place that most often experiences bleeding is the stomach. Symptoms arising from bleeding due to aspirin include severe abdominal pain, blackened stools, and reddish urine.

2. Aspirin is dangerous for children
Aspirin can cause a serious disorder called Reye’s Syndrome. In this syndrome, fat accumulates in the brain, liver, and other organs of the child, especially if an aspirin is given when the child has chickenpox or flu.

3. Aspirin is dangerous for pregnant women
Aspirin is not recommended to be taken by pregnant women. This drug is harmful to the fetus because it causes many congenital abnormalities, such as congenital heart disease and reduces birth weight. This is because aspirin can penetrate the placental layer and affect fetal growth.

Well, even though aspirin has many benefits like a god medicine, its use must be careful. Keep communicating with your doctor before starting therapy with this drug.

Heart Attack During Sex

Heart Attack During Sex

Are you a fan of the Downton Abbey, Mad Men, or Rescue Me series? If the answer is yes, you must have seen one of the scenes of a male actor who died suddenly of a heart attack due to sex. Indeed, is it possible for sex to cause a heart attack? We find out the facts through this article.

Activities that are at risk of triggering a heart attack
In fact, according to a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association, sexual activity can indeed trigger a heart attack, but with a very low probability. There are only less than 1% of heart attacks caused by sexual activity. Compare that with activities that use heavy physical energy, which is the cause of 5% of total heart attacks, or anger that causes as much as 3% of attacks.

The study also mentions that the risk of heart attack after sex will increase in people who have never done regular exercise. Heart attacks after sexual activity in people who have no history of heart disease are two to a million, while those who have had a heart attack are 20 to a million, with an average age of 50 years.

If calculated by METs or metabolic equivalents, which is the unit standard used to estimate the amount of oxygen used by the body during activity, sex only requires 2 to 3 METs. This number is the same as the number that will be obtained if you walk slowly. The number will increase to 3 to 4 METS when you reach orgasm, just as you are climbing stairs. So you are very unlikely to have a heart attack because of sex.

Sex is safe for heart disease patients
Research conducted by the Karolinka Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, said that heart attacks after sexual activity are relatively very small even though the possibility is indeed increased in people who have never done regular exercise. This result was found after interviewing 650 men with an average age of 45 and 60 who had a heart attack for the first time.

Don’t hesitate to consult with your doctor if you are a heart disease patient. Usually after a heart attack, you will be asked to remember what activities you did in the hours before a heart attack occurred, or remember the activities carried out on yesterday before you get a heart attack. From there you will find out the fatal risk of increasing your heart attack.

Perform regular treatment for your heart rehabilitation. Regular light exercise can also reduce the risk of a heart attack caused by sexual activity. Don’t let your sex life die of a heart attack. You still have the right to be happy, as well as your partner. To minimize the risk of an attack, it’s good to follow the doctor’s instructions for those of you who are vulnerable to attack.

Remember, the possibility of a heart attack during or after sexual activity is relatively very small. Those of you who still have enthusiasm are certainly not difficult to exercise regularly, right? This simple thing is very useful for you.

Heart Attack At 19-25

Heart Attack At 19-25

One of the causes of the age shift in the incidence of cardiovascular disease is the development of the disease that begins earlier. Damage to blood vessels requires a long time to cause a symptom of heart disease, but this can start from adolescence and even children. Risk factors such as obesity and an unhealthy lifestyle can be found at a young age. As a result, damage to blood vessels has occurred slowly and cardiovascular disease will occur more quickly in adulthood.

Here are some signs of the development of cardiovascular disease that you must watch out for at a young age.

1. High blood pressure
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a disorder that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Detecting hypertension at a young age tends to be difficult because it is influenced by gender, age, and height. Normal systolic blood pressure in infants and toddlers is around 80-110, the age of children is around 85-120 while in adolescents around 95-140. A child is said to have hypertension if he consistently has blood pressure close to the upper limit or higher than the normal limit after three measurements at different times.

Primary hypertension is often found in adolescence and has the same risk factors in general; obesity, consumption patterns and unhealthy lifestyles. But at the age of children or younger, there are possible causes of secondary hypertension such as endocrine disorders, kidney disease, congenital heart abnormalities, intracranial pressure, drug side effects, and poisons.

Hypertension at a young age often does not cause acute symptoms, but can cause headaches, nosebleeds, and decreased academic and sports abilities. If not addressed, both primary and secondary hypertension can cause damage to blood vessels more quickly and this can have an impact on the central nervous system (stroke), impaired heart function, and kidney failure as adults.

2. Hypercholesterolemia
The high level of cholesterol in the blood is the beginning of the development of coronary heart disease and this, without realizing it, has begun since childhood. Increased cholesterol levels can already be seen when children will enter adolescence (9-11 years) and usually return to increase in late adolescence (17-21 years). Hypercholesterolemia in children is more likely to occur if:

– There is a history of parental heart disease
– Overweight
– Blood pressure above normal age
– have diabetes
– Smoking and exposure to cigarette smoke

Handling cholesterol in children is very necessary to prevent heart disease early. Therefore, if the child already has a risk factor, it is advisable to check blood cholesterol levels at the age of children (under 10 years) and the beginning and end of adolescence. Safe total cholesterol (TC) levels in children around less than 170mg / dL. If the TC level is around 170-199mg / dL, a repeat examination is required, whereas if TC levels> 200mg / dL, further examination and drug consumption are required.

However, prioritize improvements in diet and activity patterns if your child is at risk of developing hypercholesterolemia. This is done by reducing fat, carbohydrate and sugar intake from daily intake. Instead, increase your intake of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, especially from vegetables and fruit.

3. Arterosclerosis
Arterosclerosis can occur if blood cholesterol levels are not controlled to cause plaque in the blood vessels. The development of atherosclerosis tends to be long but can begin in childhood. Risk factors for atherosclerosis in children are generally the same as risk factors for hypercholesterolemia in children. But every risk factor such as obesity, hypertension and an unhealthy lifestyle will accelerate blood vessel damage. Arterosclerosis at the age of children is the main trigger for heart disease and stroke in adult individuals aged 20-30 years.

Abnormal blood cholesterol levels in children are a sign of the development of atherosclerosis. The following are the results of abnormal cholesterol checks that impose immediate treatment:

– Total cholesterol (TC)> 200mg / dL
– LDL cholesterol levels> 130 mg / dL
– HDL cholesterol levels <40mg / dL
– Triglyceride levels (TG)> 130mgdL

Handling atherosclerosis and abnormal cholesterol levels in children is done in stages as follows:

1. Changes in diet and activity – suppress daily consumption of fat, carbohydrates and excess sugar and consume more fish, vegetable and fruit proteins. Children are also encouraged to active 30-60 minutes / day in 4-6 days / week. Improvement efforts should be carried out slowly and consistently because they must be done for a long time.

2. Supplementation – carried out to meet the nutritional needs of fiber and omega-3 which are useful in controlling LDL cholesterol levels. Children are also encouraged to obtain fiber from vegetables and fruits and omega-3 from oily fish.

3. Provision of medicine – in general, the doctor will give a drug with a type of statin, but treatment efforts do not aim to overcome atherosclerosis but only to control risk factors. Giving medicine is the last step if lifestyle improvements and supplementation after 6-12 months does not help reduce total cholesterol or triglyceride levels that are too high.

Heart Attack And Blood Pressure

Heart Attack And Blood Pressure

Heart attack can affect anyone regardless of age and sex. Unfortunately, this heart attack should be known early if you regularly check blood pressure. The reason, high blood pressure or hypertension can cause sudden heart attacks to fatal consequences. What is the relationship between high blood pressure and heart attack? Let’s look at the explanation below:

Know how the heart works for the body
Before much further, you must understand the functions and workings of the heart for the body. First, just like all organs, the heart has its own muscles. Well, all heart muscles can work well if you have:

– Sufficient oxygen supply
– Energy and nutrient reserves
– Ways to get rid of toxins or harmful impurities in the body

When one of the above is disturbed, the heart can be damaged and lose the ability to pump blood throughout the body effectively. Heart attacks can also occur when the oxygen supply to the heart is disrupted for various reasons.

The heart supplies oxygen with a special group of blood vessels, called coronary vessels. The function of this coronary artery is to bring blood out of it. Because there are hundreds of millions of cells in the heart, and all of them need oxygen, there is a special way for each cell to get the oxygen it needs.

Oxygen passes through the blood, to the outermost cells of the heart wall. Oxygen passes through these cells and enters deeper parts of the cells in the heart.

Why does high blood pressure cause heart problems?
High blood pressure is likened to making the heart become more heavy. Your heart must work harder to pump blood throughout the body. When the heart pumps more blood and is heavy there are several things that can happen. Blood vessels can be damaged by blood pressure that is too high,

In addition, high blood pressure can also make the heart muscles thicken. This makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood. In the end it can experience malfunction because it supports a burden that is too heavy to pump blood. In addition, high blood pressure can also cause arteries that surround the heart to harden, eventually leading to a heart attack.

What are the signs of a heart attack?
Heart attack is a serious condition that can be life threatening, so it is important to know the warning signs to indicate a heart attack.

Some of the symptoms that you should be aware of are:

– Pain or pressure on the chest or upper arm
– Difficulty breathing suddenly
– Sweating a lot without doing many activities
– Nausea after doing hard work like exercising

You should understand that symptoms can occur at any time and need immediate medical attention.

How can I prevent a heart attack?
There are many things that people with high blood pressure can do to help prevent a heart attack. All of these steps require commitment and sincerity to be healthy right, and if done will reduce the risk of heart attack.

Some ways are:

– Take your medicine as directed
– Avoid heavy activities. Perform activities slowly
– Do not smoke
– Control your weight. Even a 5% reduction in your body weight is very beneficial
– Avoid foods high in salt and fat, especially trans fats
– Talk to your doctor and do a sports program.

Read Now,

1. Heart Attack At 19-25

2. Heart attack During Sex

3. Heart Attack Aspirin – Benefits and Side Effects of Aspirin, the Multipurpose Drug

4. Heart Attack And Stroke – This Is the Difference That Not Many People Know

5. Vitamin C To Prevent Heart Attack

Thank you for reading our article, don’t forget to share it with your friends.

Alert Symptoms of Sudden Heart Attack

Many times we hear someone suddenly having a heart attack even though he previously looked healthy and fit. A sudden heart attack is known as Silent Heart Attack. Research conducted by Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) found that patients who died from heart attacks, nearly half (45%) were caused by sudden heart attacks, which previously did not cause any symptoms. About 20 to 30 percent of people affected by a heart attack experience a sudden heart attack. This often occurs in women and people with diabetes, but does not rule out this possibility to everyone. Along with the results of a study that showed that the chance for sudden heart attack in women and men was almost the same.

Many factors cause the occurrence of a heart attack, but a common risk factor is active smokers, a family history of heart disease, age, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, diabetes, lack of physical activity, and overweight. Having these risk factors increases the risk of having a sudden heart attack that doesn’t detect symptoms and signs and increases the risk of experiencing heart failure.

Do not ignore the mild symptoms that appear
Common symptoms and signs of heart attack are chest pain, cold sweating, and extreme fatigue. Most people think that it is just a cold or just ordinary fatigue, but it turns out the symptoms can be a symptom of a sudden heart attack, such as gasping for breath, fatigue without cause, there is discomfort in the throat, neck and jaw .

Some patients also experience stomach pain and most of them only deal with it by taking stalls and don’t think that this is one of the symptoms of a heart attack. Cardiologists at the Cleveland Clinic say that people who have a heart attack should experience mild pain in the left chest but not middle chest pain like those in films. Not a few who think that if a heart attack will feel pain in the middle of the chest as in the films.

First heart attack, second heart failure
According to Dr. Johannes Gho, a cardiologist at Utrecht University Medical Center, said that every one in four people who have a heart attack will experience heart failure later in life. Based on the World Congress on Acute Heart Failure of 24,745 who have experienced the first heart attack, as many as 25% of those have heart failure within a period of four years. The study also states that every ten years at least the incidence of heart failure increases by 45%.

The impact of the first heart attack is to damage the heart tissue to leave a scar. The damaged tissue disrupts the heart’s work, causing an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia). So the heart is forced to work faster and pump blood faster. When the heart is ‘tired’ and is no longer able to pump blood, what will happen next is the heart stops working and heart failure occurs.

How to detect sudden heart attack?
Sudden heart attacks can be detected by routine medical examinations such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) that can monitor the rhythm and heart rate and echocardiography which is useful for seeing the heart’s working function working well or not. But the examination is only recommended for patients who really need it, such as patients who are already known to have heart disease. Therefore, to prevent a heart attack, it is better to make a healthy lifestyle and not ignore the mild symptoms that interfere.

How can a heart attack be prevented?
The main goal after experiencing a heart attack is to try to keep the heart healthy and can reduce the risk of continued heart attack. The effort you can do is by keeping control of the doctor, taking medication and carrying out the recommended examination, and changing your lifestyle towards a healthier one.

9 Habits that Must Be Implemented Starting Today to Maintain Heart Health

Cardiovascular disease is the largest non-infectious disease that causes death in almost all parts of the world. Applying a healthy lifestyle can greatly help prevent heart disease.

Here are 9 healthy habits that you must apply starting today to maintain heart health. All these tips can still be done by people who already have heart disease.

What must be done to prevent heart disease
Based on WHO data, cardiovascular disease claimed 17.7 million lives every year. Of these total deaths, more than half are caused by coronary heart disease and stroke. Deaths caused by heart disease are expected to continue to rise to 23.3 million by 2030. Here’s how to prevent heart disease from now on.

1. Pay attention to symptoms that may arise
Not only for people at risk for heart disease, being aware of any changes in the body basically must be done by everyone just in case.

One easy way to do this is to write changes or sensations of heartburn that arise every time you feel it. For example, difficulty in breathing, tightness during lying down or during activities, swelling of the feet and hands arises, and other symptoms. Tell your doctor if you feel these symptoms.

2. Exercise routine
Regular exercise can help improve heart fitness and reduce cholesterol and blood pressure, while maintaining a healthy body weight. Exercise at least 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week. There is no limit to what types of exercise can and should be done to prevent heart disease. All sports are basically good. You can walk, jog, ride a bicycle, swim, yoga, or even boxing.

If you are not used to exercising, first check with your doctor to see if there are restrictions on what you can or should not do.

Physical activity is not limited to just sports. When you are in the office, schedule a short break to get up, move your feet and hands, and lightly warm to pump your heart. Go to lunch to a place far away by foot, don’t just eat at your desk.

3. Routinely check tension
Routinely checking blood pressure every day can prevent heart disease. In general, blood pressure can be considered normal when it shows a number below 120/80 mmHg. When your systolic number (top number) is between 120-139, or if the diastolic number (bottom number) ranges from 80-89, this means you have “prehypertension”.

Although this number cannot be considered hypertension, this is still above the normal rate. The higher the blood pressure level, the more you are at risk of hypertension later on. Hypertension itself makes you at risk of heart attack and stroke.

Use a hypertension medication that your doctor prescribes if your blood pressure is higher than it should be. Get to the doctor if your blood pressure changes.

4. Limit cholesterol intake
The ideal way to maintain blood pressure is to control your intake of saturated fat and cholesterol always within reasonable limits. If your LDL cholesterol level is more than 200 mg / dL, you should be careful. Bad LDL cholesterol levels that are too high can cause heart problems. If you have had a heart attack, target your LDL to 70 mg / dL or below.

Avoid or limit foods that can increase your blood cholesterol, such as fatty meats, sausages and burger meat, butter, cream, to cakes, biscuits, chocolate, and sweets. In essence, limit the salt, fat, and sugar you eat. Eat lots of fibrous foods and fish.

Sometimes diet and exercise are not enough to reduce cholesterol in some people. Doctors can prescribe cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins for cases like this.

5. Drink plenty of water
Diligent drinking water can help maintain heart health.

If you have heart disease, you need to ask your doctor whether you need to limit the amount of fluid you get every day. Keep in mind, not only how much you drink. Other sources of fluids also need to be taken into account, such as ice cream, agar and soup.

If you need to limit fluids, weigh yourself every morning. Rapid weight gain can be a sign that fluid is accumulating in your body.

6. Expand eating fruits and vegetables
Foods high in fiber can help reduce cholesterol and blood pressure. Fiber foods also help you manage a healthy body weight. You can get fiber intake from vegetables, fruits, wheat, and nuts.

Avocados, apples, pears and bananas are high in fiber. Meanwhile, broccoli, carrots and spinach are included in vegetables that are high in fiber. Whole wheat, red beans, soybeans, and brown rice are also fiber-rich foods. Low-fat or fat-free milk is also good for health.

You can still eat meat and seafood, but choose lean meat as your source of animal protein.

7. Learn to manage stress
Stress is a natural thing that happens. The problem is not what causes stress, but how we respond. When we are under pressure, the body produces adrenaline which will make the heart work harder. Blood pressure can increase as a result.

Chronic stress can lead to a heart attack if it is not managed properly. To prevent heart disease triggered by stress, you must be smart in managing emotions. If your stress is felt excessive, confide in someone, both the closest person and a professional counselor.

You can also try meditation, yoga, or deep breathing techniques.

8. Stop smoking
If you are a smoker, you should start trying to quit smoking. Smoking can increase blood pressure and damage blood vessels. Therefore, quitting smoking and / or avoiding exposure to cigarette smoke can help prevent heart disease.

9. Take medication regularly (for those who already have heart disease)
Sometimes, lifestyle changes alone are not enough to prevent heart disease. You may need to take blood pressure or cholesterol-lowering medication to reduce the risk of a heart attack. If your doctor has given medicines that you need to consume, you must obey by drinking them regularly according to your doctor’s instructions.