Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 17.9 million people die from cardiovascular diseases every year.
And yes, heart disease has always been one of the scariest health issues. However, keep in mind that your lifestyle significantly affects your risk for heart disease. That means change can be the key to preventing or living with cardiovascular disease.
While making major lifestyle changes for better cardiovascular health may sound like the perfect idea, many of us find it challenging to alter most of our habits at once.
The struggle is indeed real. But that does not mean we can’t start implementing a series of simple and seemingly small changes for better heart health. Here are four easy positive changes for better heart health that you can start exploring now!
Four Cardiovascular Health That You Can Easily Do
Cook your food the healthier way
If you live in Bali, where we are based, there is no doubt that you are aware that most of the popular dishes around here are deep-fried. While you might have gotten used to this, try avoiding frying or cooking food in oil, butter, and the like. Whether it is meat, fish, or vegetables, the heart-healthy cooking methods are baking, grilling, steaming, boiling, or poaching. No need to fry!
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Less salt, more herbs and spices
While your body needs salt, too much can contribute to high blood pressure that puts you at risk for health diseases. As most foods you buy already contain salt, you should avoid adding more salt to the food while preparing it at home. Instead, try experimenting with herbs, spices, or even lemon juice to flavor your food.
Another tip related to salt is to start reading food labels more carefully. Anything that contains more than 1.5 grams of salt per 100 grams is high in sodium, thus, not good for your heart health.
Get enough sleep
Aside from a heart-healthy diet, sleep is vital to promote heart health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (United States) explained that most adults need 7-8 hours of good quality sleep to support heart health.
Furthermore, the director of NHLBI’s National Center on Sleep Disorder Research explained that sleep helps keep every system in the body in harmony. That includes the heart and blood vessels.
Research has also found connections between disrupted sleep and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, we can’t stress enough how important it is to maintain your sleep hygiene.
Let’s start with a 10-minute walk a day
Are you physically inactive? Well, that has to change. The good news is that there is nothing wrong with starting slow. Committing to taking a daily brief walk is an excellent place to start. And once you are used to that 10-minute daily walk, you can gradually add more exercise to your day.
And get this! Even a few minutes of exercise a day can result in some health benefits. Isn’t that great?
Furthermore, the American Heart Association explains that two and a half hours of moderate exercise per week can reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke. The Heart Foundation of Australia also explained that walking for an average of 30 minutes or more a day can lower the risk of heart disease and stroke by 35%.
So, start small with a 10-minute daily walk today, and work your way up to higher goals for more significant benefits!
At last, we sincerely hope that you take care of your heart health by implementing these small yet beneficial changes in your lifestyle. And if you believe you might be experiencing heart health issues or it has been a while since your last screening, please consult a GP.
Our English-speaking team of doctors at Prime Plus Medical in Canggu is ready to assist you 24/7.