The heart is a vital organ that pumps blood throughout the body, delivering oxygen and nutrients to cells and removing waste products. A healthy heart is essential for overall health and well-being. The heart has several important functions, including pumping blood throughout the body, regulating blood pressure, maintaining a normal heart rate, supplying oxygen and nutrients to cells, and removing waste products from cells.
Keeping the heart healthy is important for several reasons. A healthy heart can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases. It also helps improve overall health and well-being, keeps the energy levels in check, improves mood and helps people live a longer, more fulfilling life. Let's know on how can we keep our heart healthy.
1. Quit Smoking
By quitting smoking, you can significantly reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Cigarette smoke contains harmful chemicals that can damage your heart and blood vessels. Additionally, smoking can raise your blood pressure and heart rate.
If you're currently smoking, it's important to quit as soon as possible. Even if you're not a smoker, it's still important to avoid secondhand smoke. Exposure to secondhand smoke can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.
2. Eat Well
It's important to make sure you get plenty of exercise and eat a heart-healthy diet. Healthy foods include plenty of vegetables, fruits, legumes, lean meats and fish, low-fat or fat-free dairy foods, whole grains, healthy fats such as olive oil and avocado, and whole grains. You should also limit alcohol consumption to no more than two drinks per day.
3. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for your heart health. If you're overweight or obese, it can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. You can reduce your weight by exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet.
4. Manage Stress
Managing stress is crucial for your heart health. Ongoing stress can lead to higher blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease. Healthy tactics like physical activity, relaxation exercises, mindfulness, yoga, and meditation can help you manage stress. If stress becomes overwhelming, it's important to seek professional help.
5. Get Enough Sleep
Getting enough sleep is also important for your heart health. Most adults need at least 7 hours of sleep each night. Children usually need more sleep. Going to bed and waking up at the same times each day can help you sleep better. It's also important to keep your bedroom dark and quiet while you're sleeping
(Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated by AI and published after the content was editorially modified and verified by a human based on their own judgement and expertise. The Quint does not publish AI-generated content without direct human involvement and oversight).
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)