When I had my post-residency dispersal at our provincial hospital, a lot of cases of cardiovascular accidents ("stroke") happened. It would not have caught my attention if the victims were older people, like those belonging to the 40-75 age bracket. It was unusual, as I would see it, because the cases involved people of my age, 20-40 age-bracket. Looking at the possible cause, i could only hypothesize that it is probably be due to high carbohydrate intake, as the people in my province eat a lot of rice, attributed to the fact that 'planting rice' is the predominant livelihood in the area. I cannot trace it to lack of exercise as the people are obviously hard-working from sun-up to sun-down. Smoking and alcohol intake maybe higher than other communities but it has always been a lifestyle of many that you wonder why these cases did not happen before if it is the culprit.
At any rate, i am sure there are a lot of unreported cases of 'stroke' and 'heart attacks'. Whatever the cause, it all boils down to the fact that despite the many advances in making our bodies healthy, a lot of us are still taking 'healthy living' for granted.
Here's a post from the Franklin Institute on how we can take care of our 'hearts'. I know that we know these things already but it wouldn't hurt to refresh our knowledge once again, would it?
If you want your heart to be healthy for the rest of your life, follow this prescription:
1. Get plenty of exercise.
The hardest part of an exercise routine is getting started. Once you've established a regular pattern of exercise, you'll find yourself following it. So, how do you get started? Well, first of all, consult your doctor or any expert on exercise. They can recommend the specific kinds of exercise for your own individual needs. Generally, however, these guidelines should get you going.
First of all, exercise will only become a habit if it's fun! Pick something you will enjoy doing. If you like being with a group of people, try a team sport like basketball or soccer. You don't have to be a super athlete. Anyone can exercise. Social activities like dancing and mall-walking are also good. If you're more of a loner, try bicycling or swimming.
Don't kid yourself. Be honest about what you realistically think you can do. If you have always hated to climb stairs, step aerobics probably isn't for you. Maybe a walk around the neighborhood would be more pleasant. Many people today are walking toward fitness.
Consider your current state of physical fitness. If you haven't exercised in years, you'll definitely want to start with some modest activities. As you get adjusted, you can increase your activity.
Consider your schedule. Are you a morning person? Then plan to exercise in the morning. If you're addicted to your snooze button, plan to exercise in the evening. Start with just a small block of time, maybe fifteen minutes. As you get into your routine, you probably won't mind increasing to twenty, and then thirty, minutes. In order to be effective, you'll need to repeat your exercise routine 3 or 4 times per week.
Will you exercise at home or at a fitness center? Selecting a fitness center can be a challenge, but you may find the community support motivational. Will you need any special equipment? The variety of exercise equipment available for purchase today can be overwhelming. Be sure to buy the proper equipment.
Finally, take it easy. Make sure that you exercise intelligently and cautiously. Follow some guidelines for beginners. Exercise should improve your health, not risk it.
If you're still making excuses, at least try one activity today. These simple, realistic activities can become the first step toward a healthier tomorrow.
2. Follow a good diet.
If you want to have a healthy heart, you have to learn how to eat a healthy heart diet. All of the food you eat effects the health of your heart. Learn which foods are heart smart and try to include them as a regular part of your diet.
Consult your doctor for an eating plan that best suits your dietary needs. If you are of average health, you can probably follow the Food Pyramid eating plan.
No matter which eating plan you follow, the following guidelines are recommended:
Total fat intake should be less than 30 percent of total calories daily.
Saturated fatty acid intake should be less than 10 percent of total calories daily.
Polyunsaturated fatty acid intake should be no more that 10 percent of total calories daily.
Monounsaturated fatty acids make up the rest of total fat intake, about 10 to 15 percent of total calories daily.
Cholesterol intake should be no more than 300 milligrams per day.
Sodium intake should be no more than 3000 milligrams per day.
Beware of chemicals in your food like caffeine, MSG, and other food additives.
Don't forget that you can enjoy the taste of eating right. Healthy heart foods can be delicious!
3. Keep your heart clean and drug-free.
The human heart's job is to pump nutrient-rich blood throughout your body. If you smoke, take drugs, or drink alcohol excessively, you are giving your heart extra work. How do you feel when you have too much work to do? Your heart cannot handle too much extra work over a long period of time. Over time, the health of your heart will suffer.
Scientists have proven that smoking doubles your risk of having a heart attack and doubles, triples, or quadruples your risk of sudden cardiac death. Each year, over 300,000 Americans die of smoking-related heart disease. So, don't smoke. If you do, quit. The sooner you quit, the sooner your risk will start to decline. There is hope. Former smokers can completely lower their risk of sudden cardiac death within ten years of quitting.
Because they are foreign substances, any drug can effect your heart. Even prescribed medications can. However, since prescribed medications are legal, doctors are able to control the effect a drug will have on your heart by controlling the dosage. With illegal drugs (cocaine, heroin, marijuana, amphetamines, etc.), YOU have to control the effect on your heart. Can you do that? Only if you don't take any. Even a small amount of a drug can be potentially fatal. So, don't use illegal drugs. If you do, quit.
While drinking alcohol in moderation may not pose a risk, drinking excessively does pose a serious hazard to your heart. While alcohol flows in your blood stream, the nutrient-rich blood is less able to nourish the heart. If the alcohol content is excessive, your heart will be in danger. So, don't drink alcohol excessively. If you do, quit.
People who don't follow this prescription often develop some form of heart disease.
Be heart smart and have a healthy heart.
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