How to reduce the risk of heart attack with healthy habits
Before we begin to explain how to reduce the risk of heart attack with natural habits we must make a brief review of what and how heart infarction is caused. Most heart attacks occur when a clot in the coronary artery blocks the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart.
This causes irregular heartbeats, also called arrhythmia, which consequently causes a decrease in blood pumping to the heart. An obstruction of this type that is not detected within the first hours of the onset of these symptoms causes the same death.
In the event of a heart attack, the first aid provided to the person is of vital importance, as well as going quickly to a medical center or calling the emergency department at the least sign, so that they can assist the affected patient as soon as possible. Thus It is vital to know what are the symptoms of the infarction which also serve as alarm signs.
Symptoms of a heart attack
Here we will detail what are the symptoms that you should be aware of to treat as soon as possible the consequences of a heart attack not attacked in time:
- Chest discomfort with strong pain or oppression.
- Vertigo or vomiting nausea.
- Lack of air
- Discomfort in the upper part of the body such as arms, shoulders, neck and back.
How to avoid the risks of infarction with natural habits
Now we go deeply with the subject in question and we will list you a series of tips that you can follow to avoid the risk of this disease that affects more than 17 million people in the world according to the 2012 figures of the WHO.
Follow a healthy diet
First of all you should start by first Eat a healthy diet. This means: consume an abundant amount of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fish, legumes, little salt and sugar. You should drink moderately alcohol intake.
It is essential at the time of taking care of our health, and in definite essential at the time of preventing the infarct or diminishing its risk. Why? Mainly because the food that we follow directly influences in raising or decreasing the risks of heart attack.
For example, with food we can effectively reduce our levels of fats in the blood, reducing blood parameters as negative in this regard as is the case of LDL cholesterol (also known as bad cholesterol) or triglycerides, and at the same time increase HDL cholesterol levels.
Among the most useful foods that help us take care of and protect our cardiovascular system, the following stand out:
- Fruits, vegetables and vegetables: in general, especially the avocado and artichokes.
- Fish: in general all, especially blue fish (healthy although we must consume them in moderation), especially salmon for its richness in healthy fatty acids.
- Nuts: pistachios, walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts. It is advisable to consume 25 grams each day (a handful).
- Whole grains: the consumption of cereals in its integral version is advised. For example, substitute white rice for brown rice, ordinary pasta for wholemeal pasta ... And above all, consume whole grains, very rich in fiber.
- Olive oil: It is the best option to add flavor to our dishes, especially for its richness in healthy fatty acids.
Obviously we should also eliminate junk food and the one that has a high fat content, such as hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, snacks and salty snacks, pastries and sweets, cold meats and cheeses ...
Practice physical exercise regularly
Perform physical activity 30 minutes per day helps keep the cardiovascular system in shape. And performing 60 minutes per day activity helps maintain a normal weight.
The key, as we see, is in trying to stay active as a way to enjoy good health and an adequate and healthy weight according to our own physical complexion.
In many cases it is usually enough, at least, to practice each day between 30 to 40 minutes of physical exercise. But in order for its benefits to be what we are really looking for, it is necessary that the exercise be aerobic; for example: running, brisk walking, swimming, cycling ...
Eliminate tobacco from your day to day
You must To avoid the use of tobacco since it seriously damages the health regardless of how it is consumed (cigarette, pipe or tobacco to chew). The good news is that one year after having stopped using tobacco, the risks of a myocardial infarction or stroke decrease by half.
Another important fact is that in patients with high cardiovascular risk it is control and verify cardiovascular risk. This is measured by professionals through simple graphics and simple tips that reduce risks.
How to control and verify vascular risk
The risks can also be monitored through the following medical measurements, such as:
- Measurement of blood pressure: Hypertension is usually asymptomatic, but it is usually one of the main causes of heart attack. Therefore, if your blood pressure is high, you should change your lifestyle by doing physical activity, decreasing salt in your daily diet and you may also need complementary medication.
- Measurement of blood lipids: Increasing cholesterol increases the risk of a heart attack. The control of cholesterol in the blood can be obtained in two ways: carrying a healthy day and in some cases with the help of prescription medication.
- Measurement of blood sugar: The excess of sugar in the blood (diabetes) increases the risks of infarction. If you have diabetes it is imperative that you control your blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
