6 Ways to Help Prevent Heart Disease

Heart Disease is a scary topic! Unfortunately, heart diseases of many different kinds are continuing to be more common in all age groups. Heart disease, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, is any type of condition that affects the structure/function of the heart. The most common heart diseases include: Coronary Artery Disease, Heart Rhythm Disorders, and Structural Heart Disease.

Heart diseases can be caused by a number of factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, and an unhealthy diet. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Research shows that over 600,000 Americans die from heart disease each year.

If heart disease is so common, what can I do to prevent it?

Fortunately for you and the millions of adults who are at risk of (or have) heart disease, there are simple ways you can help to prevent heart disease. Changing some habits, adding a routine to your day/week, and adding healthier options to your diet are some of the ways that heart disease can be prevented!

 1. Monitor Your Heart and Cholesterol

The first step to finding an issue is to check if there is one. This is why scheduling regular visits with your doctor to monitor your heart is necessary to prevent heart disease! One way to get a good idea of where your heart health is at is to test for LDL cholesterol levels. If your LDL cholesterol is too high, excess cholesterol builds up in artery walls of your heart, narrowing them and increasing the risk of heart disease. By checking your cholesterol levels, you will be better prepared to start preventing the risk of heart disease before it’s too late.

2. Incorporate a Preventative Supplements into your Diet

Adding a natural, cholesterol-lowering supplement like barley beta-glucan can help prevent heart disease. Luckily, we have two in mind! Our product, Cerabeta, and Nutrastat are 100% barley-beta glucan soluble fibres that can be added into any beverage or recipe. The barley beta-glucan naturally lowers LDL cholesterol levels in your body, helping you feel better while preventing heart disease.

You can purchase Cerabeta on our online store here, or feel free to check out Nutrastat’s website, found here.

3. Exercise

Exercise is so important for your body to stay healthy, and to get your heart pumping with some physical activity! In times like these, most of us are stuck at home, sitting in front of a computer screen. However, making time to walk around, do a workout, or go for a run can be essential for your heart health.

Studies show that exercising for 30-60 minutes per day can greatly lower the risk of heart disease by about 50%. Other benefits include lowering the risk of diabetes, stroke, and cholesterol.

Don’t feel discouraged if you don’t have enough time to do the “optimal” amount of exercise. Remember, even a small amount of physical activity is better than nothing! Even a few minutes of walking around the house or walking up and down the block are all ways you can add up your time being active. Of course, increasing the time, intensity, and frequency will help you achieve bigger improvements to your physical and mental health, and significantly reduce your risk of heart disease. Let’s get moving!

4. Maintaining a Heart-Healthy Diet

The foods you eat will impact how healthy your heart is and will also impact your overall health. Diets rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats can help give you benefits such as improving heart health and lowering cholesterol levels.

Lowering the risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, and diabetes does not have to be expensive or complicated. Many people worry too much about how a change in their diet will limit recipe selection, good-tasting food, and general satisfaction with eating, but it doesn't have to be! Read our list of 5 simple recipes that lower cholesterol to help get you started.

5. Stop Smoking 

While this is easier said than done, quitting smoking can be a lifesaver in terms of helping you prevent heart disease. Smoking is a leading factor in causing heart disease because the chemicals in tobacco can severely damage your blood vessels, heart, and lungs. This can lead to a heart attack, and the risk is only bigger, depending on how much you smoke.

We recommend speaking with your doctor to find out the best solutions to quit smoking, and to also speak to them if you’ve tried quitting in the past.

Your risk of heart disease begins to decrease on the second day post-quitting! 

6. Get More Seep and Have a Regular Sleeping Schedule 

Not getting enough sleep is actually doing far more to you than you may think. Being constantly tired from not getting enough sleep may cause a yawn or two but can also harm your overall health. Studies have shown that people who lack sleep are at risk for obesity, which in turn, increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, and diabetes.

In general, most adults need at least 7 hours of sleep each night. It is important to get this much at the minimum, in order to avoid the health risks. Set a sleep schedule and stick to it! You’ll feel better during the day, and your body will thank you as well!

In Conclusion, 

Now that you’ve learned some ways to help prevent heart disease, you can feel better about living a healthier and better life that will benefit you long-term. While we’ve listed off the ones that we recommend the most, there are definitely more ways to help prevent heart disease. If you have any other suggestions and ideas of ways that can help prevent heart disease, we’d love to hear! Leave your ideas in the comments.

While this is general information, make sure that you speak directly to your doctor about what you should be monitoring and what exactly works the best for you.

Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/heart-disease-prevention/art-20046502
https://firstcoastcardio.com/6-ways-prevent-heart-disease/
https://www.heartandstroke.ca/heart-disease/what-is-heart-disease/types-of-heart-disease
https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm#:~:text=Heart%20disease%20is%20the%20leading,1%20in%20every%204%20deaths.