"A healthy heart is a happy heart."
Your heart is one of the few organs that works non-stop! With every beat, it pumps blood around your body.
The heart is the main pumping force behind the circulation of blood through the blood vessels to all the body tissues. But just like any other body tissue, it also needs to be supplied with blood to function properly. The major blood vessels known as ‘coronary arteries’ are responsible for carrying blood to heart muscle tissues. Coronary Heart Disease is the blockage in the coronary arteries that leads to a reduced blood flow to the heart. In the absence of oxygen-rich blood supply, heart muscles cannot work efficiently to pump blood. A complete blockage of blood flow can lead to a heart attack.
These are 5 major factors that increase the risk of coronary heart disease.
When the blood flowing through arteries puts high pressure on blood vessels, it increases the workload on the heart as it has to pump harder. This gradually weakens your heart muscles and starts damaging the arteries. It is essential to check your blood pressure periodically as it silently shows up without any clear symptoms. Stress, lack of physical activity, and a high salt diet increases your blood pressure over a period of time.
Cholesterol is a fatty substance consisting of good cholesterol, bad cholesterol and triglycerides that circulates via your blood. A balance of good and bad cholesterol is required in the bloodstream, failing which the coronary arteries get clogged and lead to plaque formation. Sometimes, cholesterol plaques break and form blood clots that stop blood flow to heart tissues. This is a primary cause of heart attacks in adults.
A diet containing trans fats and unsaturated fats (from processed junk foods and excessive dairy) increases your bad cholesterol. A diet rich in good fats (omega-3 and omega-6) boosts good cholesterol that benefits your heart.
Individuals who suffer from diabetes have higher chances of endangering their heart due to increased blood sugar levels. High blood sugar levels affect the blood vessels and even the nerves that stimulate the heart. A regular blood sugar level test can help reduce the chances of heart issues associated with diabetes. A sedentary lifestyle, involving too much sitting and eating a diet high in added sugar increases your risk of type-2 diabetes which has an adverse effect on the heart.
Chronic stress increases the levels of a hormone called ‘cortisol’ in blood. Long-term increase of this stress hormone can increase cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar, and even blood pressure. It is important to manage stress through physical exercise, gentle stretching, and mind-calming activities like yoga and meditation. A brisk walk or any short workout session can provide an immediate relief from stress and anxiety.
Cigarette smoke contains many poisonous chemicals that narrow blood vessels, increase heart rate, and also lead to blood clots. Quitting smoking is one of the best things you do for your heart!
It’s important to note that other risk factors, such as age and family history, cannot be changed. However, many other factors can be addressed through lifestyle changes such as eating a healthy diet, exercising daily, quitting smoking and managing stress.
If you want to know understand more about the risk factors of heart diseases, talk to us at +91 (0) 76763 12288.