Helping A Healthy Heart

When you think of your body’s organs, what is the first thing that springs to your mind?

If you’re like us, the heart might be the first thing you think of, the main organ of your cardiovascular system.

It’s vital for your survival as it’s the only network of vessels that pumps blood around your body as your heart beats. It transports oxygen and nutrients to all body parts while removing waste carbon dioxide.

Because of this, it’s important you do everything in your power to look after it and keep it in good health. To know how to look after it, it’s important you know the primary functions of your heart first.

To learn about these, keep on reading.

Circulatory system

Blood circulation occurs when the heart pumps blood throughout the body. The right side of the heart receives low-oxygen blood used by the brain and body. It transports blood to the lungs, where it is oxygenated. The blood returns to the heart’s left side, ready to be pumped back to the brain and the rest of the body.

Blood Vessels

Blood circulates throughout the body via three types of blood vessels:

Arteries: They carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart to body tissues.

Veins: Veins carry oxygen-poor blood back to the heart.

Capillaries: They exchange water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other nutrients between the blood and the tissues and are connected to the smallest arteries and veins.

Electrical Conduction system

Hearts conduction system works as the electrical wiring of a house because it controls the rhythm of your heartbeat. It is a type of network that contains nodes (groups of cells that are either nerve or muscle tissue), specialised cells, and electrical signals that keep your heart beating. These nodes are:

Sinoatrial node: It sends signals that make your heartbeat.

Atrioventricular node: It transports electrical signals from your heart’s upper chamber to its lower chamber.

Lifestyle effects on the heart

If you don’t live a healthy lifestyle, it can significantly impact your heart. Research shows that half of the population has at least 1 of 3 key risk factors for heart disease due to high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and smoking. Most of all, premature death is caused due to an unhealthy lifestyle.

Although, the good news is that lifestyle changes can reduce heart attack rates. A study analysed that over 55,000 people who change their lifestyle habits, such as no smoking, healthy eating and engaging in physical activities, can reduce heart disease risk by 50%. If you just follow these simple behaviours, you may be able to manage changes in your lifestyle to prevent heart disease.

Foods that have a positive effect on your heart

Diet plays a significant role in heart health and can reduce the risk of heart disease. Here is a list of foods that you can eat to maximise your heart health:

Green Vegetables

Green vegetables like Spinach, kale, bitter gourd, and others are great for boosting your heart health. This is because they contain minerals, antioxidants and vitamins like K, which help protect your arteries and promote proper blood circulation.

Whole Grains

Whole grains like oats, quinoa, wheat, and others can benefit your heart health. This has been proven in analysis of 55 studies which show eating three servings of whole grains daily lowers the risk of heart disease by 22%.

Fish and Fish oil

Fatty fish and fish oil are enriched with omega-3 fatty acids, which have fantastic heart health benefits. Studies have also proven that fish consumption is linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, improved arterial function, and decreased blood pressure.

Dry fruits

Dry fruits like walnuts and almonds are a great source of fibre and micronutrients, which reduces cholesterol and blood pressure and are associated with a lower risk of heart disease.

Garlic

Research has confirmed that garlic treats a variety of ailments. Garlic extract can reduce the risk of blood clots and stroke by inhibiting platelet buildup.

Exercise and Heart Health

Being physically active is a significant step towards good heart health. Your heart needs exercise just like other muscles need it. Studies indicate that pairing a regular healthy diet with exercise is the best way to reduce heart disease.

Three types of exercise that can benefit you ae:

Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise increases blood circulation, which lowers blood pressure. It also increases your overall body fitness and reduces the risk of diabetes by controlling your blood glucose.

Resistance Training

People who carry a lot of body fat have higher rates of heart disease, but resistance training can help you. This training helps reduce fat and also creates leaner muscle mass.

Stretching

Stretching doesn’t directly contribute to heart health, but people with heavy body fat can benefit from this. Flexibility and stretching enable you to keep your body flexible and free from joint pain.

Habits for Better Heart Health

Adopting healthy habits can be your defence against a bundle of diseases. Here are some of the best habits you can adopt for better heart health:

Stop smoking

Smoking triples the risk of a heart attack. If you smoke and quit, it’s one of the best things for greater heart health.

Controlling your cholesterol

High blood pressure causes constant pressure on the heart by increasing heart attack risks. Add low-fat and less-oil food to your daily diet.

Stress

Life is full of stress. Although stress occurs in the mind, it affects your entire body. People under a lot of stress may be more prone to artery narrowing.

Intake of less alcohol

Heavy alcohol intake increases the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease. It also causes severe problems by interacting with your medications.

Conclusion

Overall, living a healthy lifestyle can lead to good health and also helps you feel better. Small changes in your lifestyle, like stopping smoking, drinking less alcohol, managing stress and more, can undoubtedly make a big difference in your health. If you’ve tried all of this and still feel like there needs to be a change, it might be wise to consult your doctor.