Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among both men and women globally. Many of the leading risk factors for heart disease are lifestyle-based. Making small changes can have a big impact. In this guide, we’ll outline some simple steps to take today to boost heart health.
Increasing activity levels
One of the best ways to enhance your overall health and well-being is to increase your activity levels. Adopting a more active lifestyle can help you enjoy better mental and physical health. Crucially, regular exercise helps to prevent cardiovascular disease by improving the efficiency of your circulatory system and reducing the risk of key indicators, including high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Experts recommend 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. It’s important to note that this can include all kinds of activities. From going to the gym, running and playing team sports to walking, swimming, outdoor pursuits and dance and yoga classes, there are several ways to get fitter and healthier.
If you’re new to exercise, joining beginner classes and using a wearable device to track your activity levels are great ways to start being more active. Setting daily or weekly targets will motivate you to work out more.
Enhancing nutrition
We often think about changing our diets as a means of losing weight, but the most important reason to modify your weekly menu should be to enhance nutrition. Adding healthier foods and reducing your intake of foods with little or no nutritional value can help you supercharge heart health. For the best results, increase your intake of fibre-rich foods and whole grains and moderate salt, saturated fat, sugar and processed food consumption. It’s critical to seek expert advice before adjusting your diet if you have underlying health conditions. Your diet should be tailored to your needs.
In addition to boosting nutrition through adapting your menu and grocery shopping list, you may also want to consider using supplements, such as NAC supplement. There is evidence to suggest that N Acetyl Cysteine can lower the risk of heart disease. It’s a good idea to seek advice from your doctor or a nutritionist before adding supplements to your diet. Health professionals can help you select the right options based on your requirements, health status and preferences.
Avoiding smoking and excessive drinking
Making positive lifestyle changes can impact your cardiovascular health. Heavy and frequent drinking and smoking are major risk factors for heart disease. If you’re worried about how you drink or you’d like help with giving up smoking, speak to your GP or visit your local pharmacy. Simple steps like tracking your alcohol intake, switching to 0% versions of popular drinks and adding alcohol-free days within the week can help you lower consumption.
Cardiovascular disease kills more people globally than any other health condition. Making changes to your lifestyle can help you lower risks and protect your heart. Examples include increasing your activity levels, adjusting your diet, adding supplements and avoiding heavy or frequent drinking and smoking. If you have any questions about risk factors, or you’d like advice about adapting your lifestyle, don’t hesitate to seek professional medical advice.
