Heart diseases lead to far more deaths than cancer. It is said that around 7 million men and more than 5 million women in the USA have some form of coronary heart disease. It is also estimated that more than 30% patients suffering from coronary diseases would die as a result of an attack.
What could be the main causes of heart problems? Why are they becoming so common in our modern society? Family history plays a very important role. Recent studies suggest, if there have been 2 or more cases of heart attack before the age of 55 among close family members, the chances of developing heart diseases would increase nearly 10 times among other members of that family.
People with diabetes have a higher chance of getting heart disease. Hormones also play a critical role. Women seem to have higher risk after menopause. Smoking, obesity, stress can also lead to development of heart ailments.
There are many things you can do to take proper care of your heart and avoid dangerous ailments. First of all, you have to give up bad habits like smoking or drinking alcohol if you want to enjoy good health and long life. Stay as far away from these as possible. You should also avoid unhealthy foods like junk food, soda drinks. Not only are they fattening, they can lead to a wide variety of other health problems. Get into the habit of eating less carbs. Research has found that people whose diet contains high amounts of carbohydrates have a significantly higher chance of developing heart diseases. So cut down on those french fries, white bread and cornflakes.
After getting rid of bad habits, the next step is to develop healthier habits. We are experiencing lot of health problems these days due to sedentary lifestyles. We have to get adequate physical activity everyday. It is very important for our overall fitness. You can start doing something as simple as walking for 30 minutes daily. Walking is a wonderful exercise which can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It exercises all muscles of the body and keeps you fit and healthy. It can also help in increasing your stamina.
Drink plenty of water, get regular exercise, maintain regular sleep schedule, avoid unhealthy foods and quit smoking. These are the basic things you need to do if you want to enjoy a healthy heart. Besides this, people past the age of 40 or those who have a family history of heart problems should visit their doctor frequently to get regular checkups. You should get your blood pressure, sugar levels and cholesterol levels checked regularly.
