Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide and in Ukraine in particular. These diseases reduce the duration and quality of life, lead to disability and loss of work capacity, and more and more cases occur among young people. Most often, it is our lifestyle and behavior that lead to cardiovascular diseases. On World Heart Day, which is celebrated on September 29, we tell you what exactly harms the health of your heart and how to influence it.
The likelihood of developing heart and vascular diseases increases due to four behavioral risk factors:
- Use of tobacco or electronic smoking devices.
- Unbalanced diet.
- Low physical activity.
- Alcohol consumption.
Do any of these points apply to you? Don't delay and adjust your lifestyle in time, because preventing heart disease is easier than treating it and dealing with the consequences.
- Stop smoking and using tobacco.
There is no “safe” or “less harmful” smoking, and even “I only smoke sometimes” also poses a serious threat to health. Regular cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products and hookahs are harmful. Passive smoking is also harmful - when you inhale the smoke emitted by a smoker. Due to the influence of tobacco, blood cells stick to the walls of blood vessels and form blood clots, which can lead to angina, heart attack or stroke. The best solution is to quit smoking forever, the ideal is not to start at all. About effective ways to quit smoking on the website stopsmoking.org.ua.
- Eat healthy.
Less processed foods, more vegetables, fruits, lean meats, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Here are some rules for a balanced diet according to WHO recommendations:
- 400 g of vegetables and fruits daily
- no more than 1 tsp. salt per day. Do not add salt to food, remove the salt shaker from the table and monitor the composition of finished products (sauces, canned goods, etc.).
- up to 10 tsp. of added sugar per day. Do not drink sweetened drinks, control the consumption of sweets and pastries, it is better to replace them with berries and fruits.
- less trans fats, which are usually found in store-bought pastries and fast food.
- Try to eat fish twice a week, especially sea fish as a source of omega-3 fatty acids. They are very good for the heart. Add vegetable oil, nuts, seeds.
- Watch the number and size of portions, don't overeat.
Properly selected nutrition will help not only stay in shape and prevent heart and vascular diseases, but can also have a positive effect on your emotional state. You can create a healthy plate with the help of the service http://www.prozdorove.com.ua/ration
- Be physically active
Insufficient physical activity affects not only the development of cardiovascular diseases, but also contributes to excess body weight and obesity. Perform at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week: this can be brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, Nordic walking. Do some exercise in the morning and warm up during the day. You can gradually increase the time to 300 minutes per week. Ideally, add muscle strength training exercises - gymnastics, yoga, Pilates, etc. 2 times a week. Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise is safe for most people, but it is better to consult a doctor if you have chronic diseases or low physical activity in the past.
To view a selection of strength exercises, click here.
- Stop drinking alcohol.
Remember forever: there is no safe dose of alcohol; no alcoholic beverage will help relieve stress, and vice versa; heart cells are very sensitive to the toxic effects of alcohol, so its use can lead to heart attack, stroke, and arterial hypertension. Do not keep alcohol at home, and the best way to cope with stress is to take a walk in the fresh air or other physical activity.
About blood pressure, cholesterol and excess weight
The development of heart and vascular diseases is also influenced by biological indicators such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and body mass index.
Heart attacks and strokes are often a complication arterial hypertension — a constant increase in blood pressure above 140/90 mm Hg. And up to 40% people with arterial hypertension are not aware of their disease, since in the initial stages it proceeds unnoticed. However, it is high blood pressure that can cause more serious diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Regular “jumps” of pressure can lead to atherosclerosis (blockage of arteries), aneurysm (expansion of the walls of blood vessels), and also develop into a chronic condition — arterial hypertension.
Cholesterol is important for the functioning of the body's cells. However, there is the so-called bad cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol), high levels of which in the blood form plaques on the walls of the arteries and impair blood circulation. This can lead to narrowing of the arteries, high blood pressure and the development of coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases.
It is important to monitor your body mass index (BMI), because the load on the heart increases with the number of excess kilograms. BMI can be measured using the formula: weight (kg) / height in meters squared (m2). You are likely overweight if the figure is ≥ 25.0. Additionally, measure your waist circumference, this will help determine the distribution of fat in the body. With a waist circumference of more than 94 cm in men and more than 80 cm in women, the risk of heart disease and diabetes increases, as such figures may indicate obesity.
Some cardiovascular diseases may not manifest themselves for a long time, have an asymptomatic course and manifest themselves at the stage of such terrible complications as a heart attack or stroke or lead to sudden death. Therefore, it is important to monitor your lifestyle, well-being and, at the slightest suspicion, seek advice from a doctor.
Based on materials from the Center for Public Health of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine