Cardiovascular fitness plays a more vital role in our lives than we think. 

[the_ad id=”6153″]We cannot ignore the role of cardiovascular fitness. The reason for this is the sheer rate of deaths caused in the nation due to heart disease. In India, heart ailments have replaced communicable diseases as the biggest killer. There is virtually an epidemic of heart diseases in the country. 

Heart disease, also called coronary heart disease (CHD), is the leading cause of death among adults in 70% of Urban Indians. Data shows that about 25% of deaths in the age group of 25-69 years occur because of heart disease in India. Also, India is currently witnessing nearly two million heart attacks a year and majority of the victims are youngsters. Ignoring the heart thereby could be a bigger risk than you might have thought of. How about working for your heart? It works very hard for you; each and every day it beats 100,000 times. Here are a few tips to keep you heart fit.

1. Be Physically Active

Among the other methods, the most wonderful way to work for your heart is to exercise the heart. Cardiovascular fitness is often related with aerobic exercise. There are two factors that distinguish cardiovascular exercises from other types of exercise. Cardiovascular exercise enhances the ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen-rich blood to the working muscles as well as the muscle’s ability to use this oxygen to supply adequate energy for movement.                                                                                                                                                                                             Aerobic exercise can enhance cardiovascular fitness. The words aerobic exercise define any type of rhythmic, continuous activity that involves the simultaneous use of multiple large muscle groups. When performing cardiovascular fitness activities, your pulse must be in a target heart range, which is usually calculated by subtracting your age from the number 220 and then calculating 60 to 85 percent of that number. Examples of aerobic exercises include:

• Running or jogging
• Brisk walking
• Cycling
• Swimming
• Aerobic dance
• Stair exercises
• Skipping rope
• Zumba

2. Eat A Heart Healthy Diet

For a healthy heart and for lowering your risk of getting heart disease, you must make sure that your food has less fat, low-amounts of sodium, more fiber, and fewer calories. Some tips:

• When you’re cooking, use less amount of butter, margarine, cheese, and red meat, all of which are loaded with calories and can elevate cholesterol levels. Include small amounts of healthy fat and little or no processed fats.
• High sodium intake can cause blood pressure problems. So a diet which is low in sodium can decrease your risk of getting hypertension as well as “heart diseases”.
• Fiber-rich foods are an important part of the diet of a heart patient. Whole grains, vegetables and fruits can keep you healthy and decrease your chances of getting heart disease. An average of 25-35 grams of fiber is recommended on a daily basis. Apart for water-soluble fibers, you may also want to take some supplements after consulting a doctor.
• To reduce your calorie intake, you can alter down some of your eating habits. Instead of whole milk drink skimmed milk and choose low-fat yoghurt over full-fat ones. Replace fried and oily foods with steamed, boiled, and baked goodies. Use healthy oils like peanut, canola, olive, soybean, avocado, sunflower and corn. Use just a spoonful of oil while cooking or use non-stick cookware and just a dab of oil when you’re preparing meals.
• You must also include foods that are rich in antioxidants and vitamins E and C as well as selenium to help the body fight free radicals that cause a host of diseases including atherosclerosis, hypertension, and heart disease.

3. Keep your BP in Check

High BP is one of the risk factors of heart disease. It is responsible for 57% of all stroke deaths and 24% of all heart disease deaths in India. However, dietary and lifestyle changes can decrease the risk. You can keep your blood pressure in check by losing the extra pounds, watching your waistline, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet and limiting salt, alcohol intake & smoking.

4. Control Sugar Levels

Sugar has always been associated with obesity, diabetes and heart disease. All extra sugar gets stored as fat in the body. This excess fat is harmful for the heart and body. Swap your diet – biscuits with nuts and vegetable sticks; sugary breakfast cereals with porridge and oats; ice creams with yogurt and fresh fruits, aerated drinks/smoothies with water, milk, tea and coffee (with little or no sugar).

5. Control Cholesterol

High cholesterol is a major risk factor in heart disease, stroke and vascular diseases. High levels of cholesterol lead to plaque build-up in the arteries and cause blockage in the heart. Lifestyle changes can help reduce cholesterol, keep you off cholesterol-lowering medications or enhance the effect of your medication. So limit your alcohol intake, avoid smoking, exercise regularly, lose excess fat and include green vegetables in your diet. Say no to high fat foods for a heart healthy life.

6. Avoid Stress and Relax

Stress adds to the risk factors of cardiovascular disease in a lot of cases. It is important to sleep for 7-8 hours daily. Spend quality time with oneself and with family and friends which will help relax your mind. Yoga can help the body to de-stress and can get you ‘heart healthy’ as well.

7.Maintain an ideal weight

A person’s body weight is the sum total of fat, muscles, bones, blood and water. Being overweight or underweight is harmful for the heart and the overall health of a person. Maintain an ideal weight by making timely & right choices of diet and doing regular exercise, which would help you keep High Blood Pressure, Diabetes and Heart Disease away.

8.Limit Alcohol, Quit Smoking

Nicotine in cigarettes stimulates your body to produce adrenaline, which raises your blood pressure and makes your heart work harder. Smoking damages the lining of the blood vessels which leads to cholesterol build up. This increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, which includes coronary heart disease & stroke. Alcohol intake can further harm your body’s health and overall wellbeing.

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