As you age, there are several issues that escalate and take a toll on our body which affects heart. Elderly face many problems like hypertension and high cholesterol level which affects the health of the heart. There are heart diseases which disrupt the normal functioning of the heart. Coronary heart disease is the most common of all. High blood cholesterol also builds plaques in the arteries which increases the heart risk.
Some of the risk factors are:
- Diabetes mellitus
- Family history
- Women after their menopause
- Lack of physical inactivity
- High Blood Pressure
- Consistent smoking and drinking
- High cholesterol levels (High triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol and high LDL cholesterol)
- Being obese
It is all about stress free lifestyle and staying active. Regular exercise, good diet regime and stress management play a vital role for the prevention of heart disease.
- Abstain from smoking at any cost. Do you know it reduces your life expectancy by 15-25 years? A smoker has more chances of getting a heart attack.
- Watch what you eat!
It is rightly said you are what you eat. Eat well and make sure you meet your daily nutritional values. Track your daily eating habits. Go for whole grain foods and good carbs like oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat flour, whole grain pasta, whole wheat bread, barley or quinoa instead of processed and starchy foods. Refined grain products should be avoided. Processed and pre packaged contain lot of unhealthy carbs and hidden fats. Check out some of these hidden fats: saturated fat, shortening, trans fat, tallow, monoglycerides, concur oil or palm oil, hydrogenated vegetable oil or hydrogenated oil.
- Minimize salt intake
Excess of salt is not good for health as it elevates the blood pressure which further accelerates the risk of coronary disease. Make sure you select right condiments and that are unsalted and sodium free.
- Manage your portion control. Most of the people feel stuffed and bloated going overboard with foods.
- Fruits and vegetables
Consume several servings of fruits and vegetables which are good sources of minerals and vitamins. Avoid fried veggies, frozen fruits which contain loads of sugar, canned fruits, veggies in creamy sauce, coconut, etc.
- Control your weight
According to the studies obese and overweight people are at higher risk of cardiac diseases. A moderate physical activity is must for better well being. Trim down your waist and stay fit as fiddle.
- Regular check ups
Keep your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels in control. Senior should get them checked regularly.
- Unhealthy fats
Banish saturated and trans fats. Include flaxseeds in your diet which are packed with omega 3 fatty acids and minimize the blood cholesterol. A regular heart rhythm is ensured. Grind them and add them in your pulses or oatmeal or cereal. Some of the other sources of good fats are olive oil, canola oil, soy products, eggs and nuts like walnuts, almonds, peanuts,
- Antioxidant rich foods
According to the studies green tea and other herbal teas are good for heart as they are packed with antioxidants. Green tea helps in digestion and also decreases the constriction of your blood vessels after your high calories and high fat meals. It is good to skip milk if you are having tea.
- Calcium rich foods
Your bones should be strong which are the backbone of your body system. Consume calcium rich foods like low fat yoghurt, low fat cheese and skimmed milk Do you know calcium also lowers blood pressure? According to the studies, an adult aged more than 50 needs 1200 milligrams of calcium everyday
Most importantly at the end of the day it is all about a stress free lifestyle. Elders should live it up and enjoy their golden years. According to the studies when you are stressed lot of chemicals are releases that pump up the heart rate and accelerate the blood pressure.
Make sure you incorporate these rules to reduce the risk of heart diseases. Develop a fitness regime in your day to day life. Commit to be fit!
Source: http://www.aamoksh.com
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