Tips for Healthy Heart: How to Prevent Heart Disease and Live Longer
Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, claiming millions of lives every year. It can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or ethnicity. You can prevent heart disease and live longer by following some simple tips for a healthy heart.
In this article, we’ll share with you some of the best tips for a healthy heart that can help you lower your risk of heart disease and improve your cardiovascular health. We’ll tell you how Healeo’s ashwagandha can help you improve your heart health by reducing stress, improving sleep, and supporting your blood pressure.
What is Heart Disease and How to Prevent It?
Heart disease is a broad term that covers various conditions that affect your heart and blood vessels. These include:
- Coronary artery disease (CAD), which is the narrowing or blockage of the arteries that supply blood to your heart muscle. This can cause chest pain (angina), irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), or heart attack.
- Heart failure, which is when your heart can’t pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs. This can cause shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling in your legs or abdomen, or sudden weight gain.
- Stroke, which is when a blood clot or a ruptured blood vessel interrupts the blood flow to your brain. This can cause paralysis, speech problems, vision loss, or death.
- Peripheral artery disease (PAD), is the narrowing or blockage of the arteries that supply blood to your limbs. This can cause pain, numbness, or infection in your legs or feet.
The main causes of heart disease are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity, and unhealthy diet.
Some other risk factors that you can’t change are age, family history, gender, and ethnicity. These are called non-modifiable risk factors because they are inherited or determined by nature. Nevertheless, your overall risk can still be reduced if you control the modifiable factors
The best way to prevent heart disease is to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes:
- Eating a balanced diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats. Avoid foods that are high in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, and added sugars.
- Getting regular physical activity that gets your heart rate up and makes you sweat. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (such as brisk walking, cycling, or swimming) or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise (such as running, jumping rope, or playing sports) per week.
- Maintaining a healthy weight that is appropriate for your height and body type. Being overweight or obese can put extra strain on your heart and increase your risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. To lose weight or keep it off, you need to burn more calories than you consume.
- Quitting smoking and avoiding exposure to secondhand smoke. Smoking damages your blood vessels and makes your blood more likely to clot. It also lowers the amount of oxygen in your blood and makes your heart work harder. Quitting smoking can lower your risk of heart disease by half within a year. If you need help quitting, talk to your doctor about nicotine replacement products or counselling programs.
- Managing your stress levels and coping with negative emotions in healthy ways. Stress can raise your blood pressure and heart rate and trigger unhealthy behaviour such as overeating, smoking, or drinking alcohol. To reduce stress, you can practice relaxation techniques (such as deep breathing, meditation, or yoga), engage in hobbies (such as reading, gardening, or knitting), listen to music, laugh more often, or seek social support from friends and family.
- Limiting alcohol intake to no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure and triglyceride levels and damage your heart muscle. It can also interfere with your medications and cause liver problems. If you don’t drink, don’t start. If you do drink, do it in moderation and avoid binge-drinking.
- Checking your blood pressure and cholesterol levels regularly and taking medications as prescribed by your doctor. High blood pressure and high cholesterol are often called “silent killers” because they usually don’t cause any symptoms until they cause serious damage to your heart and blood vessels. The only way to know if you have them is to measure them. You can check your blood pressure at home with a monitor or at a pharmacy or clinic. You can check your cholesterol with a blood test at your doctor’s office or a lab. If your numbers are too high, your doctor may prescribe medications to lower them and prevent complications.
How Healeo’s Ashwagandha Can Help You Improve Your Heart Health
Another way to improve your heart health is to take Healeo’s ashwagandha, which is a natural supplement that has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine. Ashwagandha is an adaptogen, which means that it helps your body adapt to stress and restore balance. (source)
Healeo’s ashwagandha can help you improve your heart health by:
- Reducing stress. Ashwagandha can lower the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, in your body and calm your nervous system. This can help you cope with stress better and prevent its negative effects on your heart.
- Improving sleep. Ashwagandha can improve the quality and duration of your sleep by regulating your circadian rhythm, the natural cycle that tells you when to sleep and wake up. This can help you feel more rested and energized and reduce the risk of sleep disorders that can harm your heart.
- Supporting blood pressure. Ashwagandha can help lower high blood pressure by relaxing your blood vessels and improving blood flow. This can help prevent hypertension, which is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
Healeo’s ashwagandha is made from organic ashwagandha root extract that is standardized to contain 5% withanolides, the active compounds that provide the benefits. It is also vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and non-GMO.
Summary
Heart disease is a serious condition that can affect anyone, but you can prevent it and live longer by following some simple tips for a healthy heart.
Ashwagandha can support heart health by reducing the risk of sleep disorders that may harm your heart. It also helps lower high blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels and improving blood flow, which can prevent hypertension—a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
Incorporating Ashwagandha into your daily routine is a simple step towards a healthier heart and a longer life.
FAQs-
1. What lifestyle changes can help prevent heart disease?
Preventing heart disease often involves lifestyle changes such as maintaining a balanced diet, exercising regularly, managing stress, and getting enough sleep. Adding heart-supportive supplements like Ashwagandha can also contribute to better heart health.
2. How does Ashwagandha support heart health?
Ashwagandha supports heart health by helping to lower high blood pressure, relaxing blood vessels, and improving blood flow. These benefits can reduce the risk of hypertension, a significant risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
3. Can Ashwagandha help with sleep disorders that affect the heart?
Yes, Ashwagandha is known to reduce stress and promote better sleep quality, which can lower the risk of sleep disorders that may negatively impact heart health. Restful sleep is essential for heart recovery and reducing stress on the cardiovascular system.
4. How does high blood pressure impact heart health?
High blood pressure, or hypertension, puts extra strain on the heart and blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Ashwagandha helps lower blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels and supporting better blood flow, making it beneficial for heart health.
5. Is it safe to incorporate Ashwagandha daily for heart health benefits?
Yes, Ashwagandha is generally safe for daily use when taken as directed. Regular intake can support heart health by managing stress, promoting restful sleep, and lowering blood pressure. However, it’s always best to consult a healthcare provider before adding any supplement to your daily routine, especially if you have existing health conditions.
6. Can Ashwagandha be combined with other heart health practices?
Absolutely. For optimal heart health, combine Ashwagandha with other healthy habits, such as a nutritious diet, regular exercise, and stress management. Ashwagandha complements these practices by enhancing relaxation, supporting better sleep, and aiding in blood pressure regulation.
7. How long does it take to see the heart health benefits of Ashwagandha?
Results may vary, but many individuals notice improved relaxation, better sleep, and reduced stress within a few weeks of daily use. Long-term use of Ashwagandha, along with a healthy lifestyle, can contribute to ongoing heart health benefits.
