World Heart Day: 6 lifestyle choices to help ensure a healthy heart

In order to keep the body fit, it is necessary to be active, betternutrition.com notes. For this, one can go to the gym and use the treadmill to strengthen the heart and tone up the muscles. Those who do not have ready access to such a facility can resort to alternate methods of working out by riding the bicycle or by swimming or brisk walking or climbing the stairs. The intention is to improve the working of the heart.

The lifestyle of today is fast paced and people love fast foods. This, coupled with the lack of adequate work to burn up the calories is a potential disaster situation. It is therefore important that the intake of food is controlled with plenty of green vegetables and less of fat and sugar. Heart-healthy items include high-fiber foods (whole grains, fruits, and vegetables) and certain fats (like the fats in olive oil and fish).

Those who have quit smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke have better control over their hearts. These evils can aggravate the risk of heart attacks, according to Healthfinder. Gov. Direct smoking is to be avoided as is indirect smoking which is equally bad. Similarly, the same applies to drinking. Excessive alcohol can increase the risk of heart disease.

Today everyone is in a rat race and has to struggle to be seen and heard. This leads to stress which is difficult to avoid and leads to the heart getting overloaded. The individual could suffer from heart disease, depression, and high blood pressure. To overcome these, one can go in for deep breathing exercises and meditation because these help one to relax and manage stress. But always connect with your medical professional first.

Sleep is important because it helps the body to relax and recoup lost energy. Obviously, adequate sleep is a must. If it is insufficient, the result will be felt immediately. There will be an increase in tension with associated problems that will be an impediment for the smooth functioning of the heart. The all-important sleep should come naturally and not be a forced one through medication, Newsweek reported.