Maintaining a healthy heart is not rocket science. All you need to do is take some precautions and pay attention to your everyday diet & lifestyle. Here is a list of habits which you must include in your day to day life to get a fit heart.
1. Have more fibre and less saturated fat
Saturated fat can clog your heart as well as arteries leading to coronary artery disease. The most common source of trans fats and saturated fats are fried/ processed foods, full-fat diary products and red meat. Therefore it is recommended that you cut down on these food items. Rather include food rich in fibre in your diet. Fruits, vegetables (preferably organic), oats, wholegrain cereals, bran etc should be included in your diet. Also include green leafy vegeatbles as salads on a day to day basis. Steamed meat, lean meat and salmons are good for heart.
2. Keep a watch on your weight and exercise regularly
Overweight people are more likely to develop heart diseases. It is advised that you make use of BMI (Body Mass Index) Calculator to know if you are overweight or underweight. It is very important that you always keep a track of your weight. This can be done by regular exercise. You can choose the kind of exercise you wish to do – be it yoga, jogging, long walks or hitting the gym. The point is that you keep your body fit and melt down all that excess fat in your body.
3. Say no to smoking – Both real and electronic
Smoking kills. It is as simple as this. Smoking is the top most reason for coronary heart disease. There are cases wherein smokers resort to e-cigarettes in a bid to get over the real addiction. Though these cigarettes do not contain harmful chemicals like the real cigarettes, they do contain nicotine, which is not good for your heart. Therefore it is recommeded that you quit smoking TOTALLY. Also it would be good if you avoid being a passive smoker as well.
4. Sleep well
Have you heard of the lucky number 7? Well it stands for good sleep for 7 hours each night. Studies show that those who sleep for 7 hours a night had lesser calcium in their arteries than those who slept 5 hours and less or 9 hours and more. In case you have problem falling asleep at night, then it is recommeded that you resort to some relaxing mudras of yoga or consult your doctor immediately on the same.