THIS week we celebrated World Heart Day (29 September), an organ often associated with love in fictional stories, but one that requires much more care where real life is concerned.
According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa, 225 South Africans die from heart diseases every day and – shockingly – 80% of heart diseases are preventable. Avoid becoming an unwelcome statistic by adopting a few simple changes to your daily routine, and live a long happy life with a healthy heart.
Here’s how…
Get some sleep already!
There’s too much to do and so little time, but if you want to increase your length of time on earth, make sure you get some sleep! One study showed that adults who got less than six hours of sleep a night were twice as likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke compared to those who got more sleep. Ideally, you should be getting seven to eight hours of sleep a night, or you could risk increasing your blood pressure.
Go for a walkabout
Modern life calls for a lot of sitting – in front of TV screens, computers, or simply at your desk. Unfortunately, this sedentary lifestyle is no good for heart health. In fact, combined results have shown that there’s as much as a 147% increase in cardiovascular events in those who sit for long periods. Besides heart disease, sitting for extended periods increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, as well as depression and anxiety. Some ways to increase movement are setting a 20-minute timer to remind you to get up and walk, park further away to walk to the office, take the stairs instead of the elevator, and do some routine exercise daily.
No smoking – not even second-hand
We all know, by now, the dangers of smoking. In addition to strokes and heart disease, smoking results in cancer, lung diseases and diabetes. But second-hand smoke can be just as harmful. The American Heart Association states that exposure to tobacco smoke contributes to around 34 000 heart disease deaths and 7 300 lung cancer deaths. Make sure you’re firm with smokers, keeping them away from your home and work environment, and be particularly strict when children are involved.
Eat a healthy diet
What you put into your body will have a massive impact on your heart health, so you really need to start being a conscious consumer. Start slowly by introducing more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products into your diet, with less salt and sugar. Avoid all sugary drinks and try to increase your intake of Rooibos tea as it has the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s stamp of approval. When it comes to fats, you must avoid trans fats as these clog your arteries and raise the bad cholesterol levels (LDL). Rather eat healthy fats such as avocados, salmon, nuts and seeds.
Healthy teeth for a healthy heart
It might seem bizarre, but regular flossing and brushing your teeth actually leads to improved overall heart health. The reason for this is that bacteria in the mouth can cause gum disease which gets into the blood, elevating the C-reactive protein which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Make sure to brush your teeth twice daily for two minutes and floss daily.
Simple changes can make all the difference to your heart health, and you’ll actually be able to feel the physical changes within a few short weeks. Start the new month afresh with some heart healthy habits!
