Maintaining your cardiovascular system, which includes your heart and blood vessels, is one of the best things you can do for your body.Good cardiovascular health will help to prevent a wide range of potential problems, such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, heart attack, and heart failure, while also benefiting your overall health.You can keep your cardiovascular system healthy with diet, exercise, and lifestyle choices.
Step 1: You can make vegetables and fruits the center of your diet.
Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is good for your cardiovascular health.They are rich in vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber.They are low in calories and fat.If you aim to fill at least half your plate with vegetables and fruits at every meal, you will get about 4-5 serving of each day.Every day you should eat a variety of fruits and veggies in different colors.
Step 2: Instead of red meat, eat poultry and fish.
Red meats have more saturated fat than fish and poultry.Salmon, trout, and herring are some of the types of fish that contain Omega 3s.Remove the skin from your fish and poultry and cook them instead of frying them.Each portion of lean meats is about the size of a deck of cards.If you don't eat meat, beans, peas, lentils, and tofu are some of the best sources of calories.
Step 3: Add more nuts to your diet if you choose low-fat dairy.
Saturated fats and trans fats in these foods increase cholesterol deposits in your blood vessels.Low-fat milk and yogurt are good choices if you eat dairy.Healthier fats can be found in nuts.unsalted nuts will keep your sodium intake in check.Low-fat dairy and healthy fats should be part of your daily diet.
Step 4: Eliminate or reduce high-fat foods.
They pack a wallop when it comes to calories, salt, and fat, but they have little nutrition value.The less of these foods you eat, the better.The percentage of calories coming from saturated fats should be no more than 6-7%, and the percentage from trans fats shouldn't be higher than zero.Discuss your goals with your doctor and nutritionist.You may find it easier to eat healthy if you prepare your meals at home.
Step 5: You can reduce your risk of high blood pressure by controlling your intake of sodium.
Your blood pressure is raised by the amount of sodium in your body.High blood pressure reduces the oxygen and blood supply to your heart.Follow your doctor's advice.They may ask you to reduce your daily intake of sodium, or to at least decrease it.While you should limit how much salt you add to your food, processed foods are the greatest source of sodium in most people's diet.
Step 6: Do you want to reduce your alcohol consumption?
If you have more than one alcoholic drink per day, you will increase your risk of cardiovascular issues such as high blood pressure, arrhythmia, heart failure, and stroke.Excess alcohol intake can lead to negative health consequences.There isn't much evidence to show a correlation between red wine and health benefits.Most of the benefits can be gained by engaging in regular exercise and eating a heart-healthy diet.The amount of beer and wine that can be drunk in one drink is equal to 12 ounces.
Step 7: You can get advice from a doctor.
Patients who eat a heart-healthy diet have a lower risk of heart problems.A heart-healthy diet has 25 grams of fiber a day, vitamins and minerals, and less calories and fat.It's best to get advice from a medical professional, since the above recommendations are a good jumping-off point.By working with experts, you can tailor your requirements according to your lifestyle and circumstances.If you have a condition that requires special diet management, such as diabetes, you should work with your doctor or nutritionist to make changes to your diet.
Step 8: A weekly program of 75-150 minutes of aerobic exercise is required.
Aerobic exercise helps prevent the build-up of plaque in the heart and reduces the risk of a heart attack.For example, a brisk walk for half an hour daily for 5 days a week is 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity.Running for 15 minutes daily for 5 days a week is 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity.A combination of aerobic and moderate exercise.
Step 9: You can add variety to your exercise program.
Adherent to a moderate or vigorous intensity aerobic exercise program for 3 months will reduce your risk of a heart attack.Add other elements to your exercise regimen for continued benefits.Stretching exercises, swimming, dancing, cycling, and yoga are some of the activities you can engage in.Talk to your doctor if you want to do strength training three times a week.
Step 10: If your doctor recommends it, you can lose weight in a healthy way.
An increased risk of cardiovascular problems is associated with being obese.High blood pressure and diabetes are risk factors for cardiovascular disease.Discuss your weight loss goals with your doctor.If your body mass index is over 25 you should take a healthy approach to losing weight through diet and exercise.If you already have a healthy weight, try to maintain it through diet, exercise, and lifestyle choices.
Step 11: Don't start smoking if you want to quit.
Smoking is a risk factor for heart disease.Smoking causes lung diseases such as COPD and lung cancer.If you are a smoker, you should talk to your doctor about your plan for quitting and how long it will take.On a quit smoking day, gradually reduce the number of cigarettes that you smoke until you are down to zero.Inform your family and friends that you are quitting smoking so that they can support you through the process.Nicotine replacements, including nicotine patches and nicotine gum, may be recommended by your doctor to help you quit.
Step 12: Take care of your cholesterol with lifestyle choices and medication.
If you eat a healthy diet, exercise frequently, and limit alcohol intake, you will likely have a good cholesterol level.If your doctor tells you that you need more help with your cholesterol, you should take any prescribed medication.An adult should have a cholesterol level of less than 200.Discuss the ideal cholesterol level with your doctor.High cholesterol is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.Your doctor can prescribe drugs to reduce cholesterol.
Step 13: A healthy blood pressure protects your heart.
The force of the blood against the walls of your blood vessels is measured.You are more likely to have cardiovascular issues if you have elevated blood pressure.Eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and making healthy lifestyle choices can keep your blood pressure under control.If your doctor prescribes a medication to reduce your blood pressure, they may also prescribe other types of drugs.
Step 14: You can list the stressors in your life.
Your sources of stress may be related to your job, family life, friend circle, traffic jams, world events, or any number of other things.Creating a list of things that make you feel stressed is the first step in overcoming stress.A gateway to other cardiovascular problems can be caused by excess stress.Stress can cause you to make bad lifestyle choices.
Step 15: Evaluate how you are handling stress.
If you deal with stress in ways that are harmful, take note.Talk to your doctor about how to deal with stress.
Step 16: If possible, avoid the causes of stress.
Determine which stress-causing situations or people can be avoided by looking at your stress list.If you don't like a co-worker in an adjacent cubicle, ask to be moved to a different location in the office.Reducing how long you have to deal with a stressor will benefit you if you can't completely avoid it.It is possible to limit your interactions with a problematic neighbor.
Step 17: If the stressor can't be avoided, Alter it.
Don't give up if you cannot avoid a stressor.Instead, think about how you can reduce the stress in those situations.If you are preparing for a test and your roommate is talking on the phone, you should deal with the problem head-on rather than getting stressed.Ben, would you mind taking that call out in the lounge?I need to study for the test.Thanks!
Step 18: Adapt to stressors that are not going to be changed.
You can still change your reaction to the situation if it can't be avoided or altered.Changing your expectations of other people, looking at things from a broader perspective or finding positive aspects of the situation are all possibilities.If you look hard enough, you will find signs of common ground and cooperation if you focus on it.If you want to stay informed but feel stressed all night, try getting your news in the morning.
Step 19: If you have no other choice, accept the stressor.
Trying to control the uncontrollable is futile.You should accept the situation as it is rather than fighting a war that you can't win, if something on your stress list cannot be avoided or altered.If a loved one is dealing with a life-threatening illness, your only choice is to accept the reality of the situation.If you need help managing your stress, see a Psychiatrist or psychologist.Discuss the issue with your doctor.