The good news is that for most people, heart disease doesn't just happen. "Of all heart disease we experience, 80 percent is preventable," says Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz, director of the Women's Heart Center and the Preventive and Rehabilitative Cardiac Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The most effective way to protect your heart is to consume a heart-healthy diet, combined with moderate exercise, stress relief, and not smoking. More good news: While starting these habits young is best, it's never too late to make heart-friendly lifestyle changes.
Fiber Is Essential
Fiber-rich whole grains are a pillar of every heart-healthy diet. Whole grains can help reduce heart disease risk in a number of ways: They help to lower "bad" LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, regulate blood sugar, normalize blood pressure, and control weight.
Most of us already know that eating insoluble fiber, which comes from sources like whole wheat, seeds, nuts, green leafy vegetables, and fruit skins, promotes regularity and the quick removal of waste products. The less well known soluble fiber also plays a positive role in metabolism, by assisting the regulation of insulin, boosting "good" HDL cholesterol, and lowering "bad" LDL cholesterol. Sources of soluble fiber include oats, barley, flaxseeds, carrots, and oranges. Substituting whole wheat, oats, brown rice, barley, or buckwheat for food you may currently eat, like white bread or white rice, is an easy way to add whole grains that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber to your diet.
"When people have borderline cholesterol, we recommend eating soluble fiber," says Dr. Eleanor Levin, who for 15 years was chief of Cardiology at Kaiser Permanente in Santa Clara, California, and who continues to practice at the managed care organization.
The Institute of Medicine recommends a total daily fiber intake of 38 grams for men and 25 grams for women aged 50 and under. For men and women over 50, the recommendation is for 30 and 21 grams per day, respectively.
Fruit and Vegetables
Fruit and vegetables also lower blood pressure, moderate blood sugar levels, and cut the risk for heart disease. Doctors recommend nine servings a day— or almost five cups, at a minimum. The more eye-catching the vegetable, the better it is for you. Go for dark leafy greens, and produce that is bright yellow, orange, or red in color.
The Best Proteins
Cutting back on animal protein, including red meat— a source of cholesterol-boosting saturated fats and naturally occurring trans fats— is recommended in heart-healthy diets because it can increase artery-clogging lipids in the blood. Easy substitutions include fish, skinless poultry, beans, and legumes. Fish in particular is beneficial for your heart. Two servings per week of fish that is high in omega-3 fatty acids— for example, salmon and herring— reduces your risk of dying of a heart attack by a third or more.
Exercise and Stress Relief
In addition to a heart-healthy diet, doctors recommend moderate exercise and stress reduction. There is an exercise for everyone, even people who find physical activity intimidating. According to Dr. Levin, walking your dog or strolling in intervals that total 30 minutes per day is enough to make an impact. "It does not have to be sustained; it does not have to be huffing and puffing," said Dr. Bairey-Merz. Exercise such as walking, cycling, yoga, and gardening has the added benefit of reducing stress— which can help reduce blood pressure while boosting quality of life.
Don't Smoke
You've heard it a million times, but here's one more reason to quit: Smoking by itself is bad for your heart. Given that it increases blood pressure and the risk of blood clots, while decreasing HDL and the ability to exercise, it's that much more deadly. The news isn't all dire: If you quit today, your excess risk of heart disease caused by smoking will be reduced by half.
Taking a gentle stroll for just 30 minutes daily is the key to longer life. Everybody can walk, and walking is actually a fun thing to do especially that you get to explore your surroundings, meet people, and of course reduce the risks of certain diseases. It helps in losing weight, lowers blood pressure, reduces depression, stress, and back pain. Even Researchers have carried out the study and found that a daily walk to the shops can cut the risk of early death by 20 per cent.