Healthy Heart Articles The Perfect Guide
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Beware of the heart signs

Diseases of the heart are the leading cause of death, causing a higher mortality than cancer. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in Malaysia. There are a number of reasons that cause heart disease. Some are under our control, some are not. Factors such as heredity, gender, diabetes and age are major risk factors.

One can prevent diseases of the heart by following some simple heart care tips:

Exercise

The best thing is to jog or even run. Interval training has a number of benefits. This is one of the simplest and most powerful things one can do to keep the heart healthy.

Go vegetarian

You don't have to give up meat permanently, but cutting animal products (red meat, chicken, milk, cheese, etc.) out of your diet one or two days per week can be a big help in lowering your cholesterol.

Don't smoke or use tobacco products

Smoking or using other tobacco products is one of the most significant risk factors for developing heart disease. Cutting down on smoking and finally quitting it, is the best thing one can do to their heart. Significant results can be seen soon after a person quits smoking.

Maintain a healthy weight

Healthy weight status in adults is usually assessed by using weight and height to compute a number called the "body mass index" (BMI). BMI usually indicates the amount of body fat. An adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese. Overweight is a BMI between 25 and 29.9. Normal weight is a BMI of 18 to 24.9. Proper diet and regular physical activity can help to maintain a healthy weight.

Avoid drugs

An overdose or an inadequate mixture of drugs can be very dangerous. If one consumes drugs, of any kind, then they have a high probability of dying of a heart attack, especially in young people.

Eat low fat foods

Eating low fat foods especially those containing highly unsaturated fats should be avoided. Foods that are rich in cholesterol such as margarine, high fat dairy products and fried food should be avoided. Your diet should contain more fruits, vegetables, juices etc.

Breakfast is a vital part of your diet, starting your day with nutritious fibers like oats will help you keep your heart healthy.

Integrating whole grains like Quaker oats in your diet will maintain your cholesterol level and keep you away from possible heart diseases.

Fight stress

Believe it or not, stress may kill you. We humans are emotional beings, and we deal with them day after day. Stress stimulates the release of certain hormones in your body that are not good for your cardiac activity. If you are in stressful job or going through a stressful situation, it is in your best interest to look for a way to reduce that stress

Regular check-up

Go through a checkup once a year, regardless of your age or physical condition. You may not notice it, but an electrocardiogram may be able to detect if your heart isn't working correctly. Remember that it doesn't matter how fit you are; if you are genetically predisposed to suffer a heart attack, you will have one.

And lastly,

Have an emergency action plan

Make sure that you have an emergency action plan and enough heart disease information in case you or someone else in your family has a heart attack. This is especially important if you're at high risk or have already had a heart attack.

Talk to your doctor about the signs and symptoms of heart attack, when you should call for help and steps you can take while waiting for medical help to arrive.

Address:
Suite 19-01, Level 19,
The Pinnacle,
Persiaran Lagoon, Bandar Sunway,
47500 Subang Jaya,
Selangor Darul Ehsan.
Quaker Care Line: 1 800 88 1399