Heart disease lifestyle changes

 Heart disease

Heart disease or cardiovascular disease is the class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. The major factors that lead to heart disease include smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, family history and your age. Many forms of heart disease can be prevented or treated with healthy lifestyle choices, diet and exercise.

Symptoms of heart disease:

Here are some of the symptoms of heart disease including:

• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Palpitations such as irregular heart beats or skipped beats
• Dizziness
• Fainting
   
• Sweating
• Nausea

You can make some lifestyle changes to avoid some of the risk factors for heart disease:

 1. Stop smoking and tobacco products: Smoking is a major factor for heart disease in men and women. Women who smoke and also use birth control bills are in greater risk. If you quit smoking, you can control your heart disease significantly. Talk to your health care provider about making a plan to quit smoking.

2.Control high blood pressure: Treating high blood pressure can lower the risk of heart attack and stroke. If you are overweight, lose some weight, exercise daily, and try to eat a healthy diet are some ways to control your blood pressure. Also reducing your salt intake might help.

3. Control cholesterol level: Diet and exercise is a main key for lowering cholesterol level.

4. Healthy weight: Being overweight increases your risk of health problems including heart disease. Extra weight puts strain on your heart and arteries. Exercise and healthy low fat diet can help you to lose some weight. Talk to your doctor about a safe way to lose weight.

5. Exercise: You can do excercises such as brisk walking, swimming, biking and jogging. If you exercise indoors, you can use fitness equipment such as treadmill and exercise bicycle. Remember to ask your doctor about a safe way to exercise.

6. Low fat diet: Eat a low fat diet. Avoid saturated fat that is usually found in meats, baked goods and hydrogenated oils.

7. Diabetes: Regular exercise, keeping your weight under control, low fat diet and regular doctor visits can help control diabetes. If you need to take medicine, make sure you take your medicine as prescribed by your doctor.

Tips for a heart healthy diet:

1. Buy lean cuts of meat. You can eat skinless chicken and turkey instead of beef and pork.

2. Use canola oil when you are baking.

3. Use olive oil when you are cooking.

4. Avoid fast food. It contains trans fat.

5. Limit the amount of red meat you eat. Instead you can consume fish.

6. Try olive oil on bread instead of butter.

7. Choose low fat dairy products such as skim milk and low fat cheeses.

8. Drink plenty of water.

9. Avoid hydrogenated oils or partially hydrogenated oils. Partially hydrogenated oils found in margarines, shortenings, cookies and chips.

10. Avoid saturated fat oils. It is found in butter, bacon drippings, palm oil and coconut oil. Coconut oil is cholesterol free, but it is highly saturated.

11. Completely avoid organ meats such as liver, and kidney.