Heart disease is a leading cause of death for many adults, as are other cardiovascular problems, including stroke, high blood pressure and heart attacks. Taking steps to improve overall cardiovascular health greatly lowers the risk of developing one of these ailments, and the key is to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
The problem is that too many people are ignorant of just how important heart health is. Some experts – like James Scotney, Town and Country Law director, a big proponent of raising heart health awareness – understand that failing to protect your heart can be deadly, but much of society still needs educating. The first step towards making better choices is understanding the risks of unhealthy living.
There are several factors that impact heart health, including:
- Lack of physical activity
- Smoking
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
Luckily, these are all things that can be controlled or modified to reduce the risk of developing a disease, as long as people proactively seek information and guidance from medical professionals.
The NHS offers a free Health Check to evaluate an individual’s overall health and determine if they’re at higher risk of developing problems like heart disease, hypertension or high cholesterol. The service is available for people aged between 40 and 74 who want to become more aware of their heart’s condition. The NHS seeks to improve heart health awareness and prevent people from succumbing to cardiovascular diseases.
One of the biggest changes professionals suggest making to improve heart health is adopting a healthier diet. It’s not about cutting out meals or removing food groups; it’s all about balance. Eating more fruits and vegetables and fewer salts and saturated fats will benefit your heart. There are also plenty of great vitamins and minerals for the heart in foods like fish, eggs, beans and pulses.
A healthy diet goes hand in hand with an active lifestyle, so exercise is just as important as eating nutritious foods. Regular exercise controls weight gain, reduces the build-up of cholesterol in the arteries and lowers blood pressure, making strokes and heart attacks less likely. The best exercises for heart health include aerobics, strength training and flexibility workouts.
All of these benefits rely on widespread heart health awareness to combat ignorance and clue people into what is going on inside their bodies. WHO estimates that 60% of factors related to health correlate to lifestyle choices, so it’s integral that people know how to cultivate healthy lifestyles and positively influence their cardiovascular health.