Healthy Living as a Strategy for Heart Attack Prevention
There has been an unprecedented rise in the occurrence of heart attacks or cardiac conditions among many people across the globe. Heart attack symptoms range widely from mild, heartburn-like chest pain/pressure to intense, crushing, elephant-sitting-on-your-chest pressure. When people experience this it is imperative to any medical center where tests are run to figure out whether there is possibility of a cardiac arrest.
Once in a medical facility, an EKG (Electrocardiogram), a non- invasive test that determines the electrical signals of individuals’ hearts will be done. Presently, an EKG test takes only about fifteen minutes to give the results. However, when the test shows that a patient does not have signs of a heart attack; several other diagnostic examinations are done. This can take a period of thirty six hours to find out the cause of the chest pain.
Regardless of heart attacks being a common phenomenon, it is great news that it is also preventable. Sometimes it is inherited and other times it is mainly due to the lifestyles that people have adopted. Since a standard of living is subject to change, choosing a healthy way of life is vital for the well being of the heart. Below are steps people can take toward implementing a healthy living style focused on having a fit heart.
1. Assessing risk of having cardiac disease
Assessing individuals’ chances of having the condition is the first step in preventing its occurrence. Making contact with a cardiovascular doctor facilitates this as he or she can evaluate risks depending on hereditary risk factors. Relying on the results, individuals will either consider making changes to their lifestyle or find ways of improving their heart health.
2. Quitting smoking and alcohol consumption
Alcohol and cigarettes are among the highest risk factors for developing cardiac diseases. People who consume these drugs are six times more likely to develop heart problems as opposed to their counterparts who do not use them. Continued use of the same increases the rate of heart attack occurrence. Hence, avoiding for non users and quitting for users is necessary.
3. Eating healthy
Eating healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains provides the body with vitality against cardiac conditions and diseases. Individuals also should avoid taking foods with high levels of cholesterol and salt, processed food, and “junk foods”. It is important that before anyone purchases food from grocery stores, a look at the label will help in making a wise choice on what to buy.
4. Maintaining a healthy body weight
Maintaining a healthy body weight is essential in reducing individuals’ risks of having heart attack. It is evident that majority of people with excessive pounds are the prime candidates of cardiac related conditions. Apart from eating healthy, engaging in aerobic exercise also facilitates a decreased risk.
5. Avoiding stress
Everyone has to endure stress that comes from their daily encounters. However, individuals ought to develop mechanisms to dealing with stress so as to make sure it does not take a toll on them. Speaking to a friend or counselor may go a long way in helping avoid suffering a heart attack.
6. Carefully handling diabetes and high blood pressure
People suffering from these diseases are highly susceptible to experiencing heart attacks. Proper management of these conditions by taking prescribed dosages and living healthy places patients in a better position to evade any occurrences of cardiac failures.
Working on these guidelines is will help individuals take a closer step toward healthy living. Individuals ought to be alert so that any chest pain is not ignored.