Prevention is the best course of action when it comes to a healthy heart. To kick-start your heart-healthy lifestyle, you can start by changing your diet. Diet plays an important role in maintaining your overall health. A nutritious diet high in vitamins, minerals, proteins, fibre and fats can help you maintain a healthy heart. Faulty Indian dietary habits cause many lifestyle disorders, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Cardiovascular Diseases are responsible for 1 in 4 deaths in India. What is more surprising is that young Indians are the primary victims of this rife situation in India. It's time to change our diet and lifestyle to combat lifestyle problems such as cardiovascular disease. If you have already had a heart attack or have had heart surgery, it goes without saying that you must adhere to a strict diet plan.
Reducing Fat Intake
Choosing the proper fats and eating less fat can help prevent or decrease heart disease. In general, our diet contains a considerable amount of fat, regardless of its origin. Therefore, reducing your diet of fat and oil can be an excellent initial step to take. Avoid saturated fats and trans-fatty acids found in bread items, high-fat meats, fried foods, and dairy products such as cream, which raise cholesterol levels.
Use Right Oil in Right Amount
Choose oils that are high in essential fatty acids, such as monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (PUFA). Most oils on the market, such as groundnut oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, mustard oil, sesame oil, rice bran oil and so on, are beneficial to the heart. However, instead of using the same cooking oil every month, experiment with different oils to reap additional benefits.
Keep track of how much cooking oil you use. It is important to keep track of the amount of cooking oil you use. Make sure it's not more than 15 mL per day, which is about three teaspoons of oil. You can also mix ghee with cooking oils, but make sure not to exceed the total daily limit of 15 ml. Instead of using three teaspoons of oil per day, you could substitute one teaspoon of ghee and two teaspoons of oil.
Taking Good Amount of Fiber
Whole grains are high in fibre, minerals, and vitamins, which help regulate blood pressure and keep your heart healthy. Further processing of whole grains yields refined flour devoid of fibre and vitamins. The reduced fibre in refined items allows them to be absorbed quickly into our bodies, making them a high carbohydrate source.
Add flax seeds and/or bran to your diet if you prefer grains, such as quinoa and couscous. Include whole wheat grains or cereals, peas, pulses, fruits like oranges, pears, melons and vegetables like carrots or broccoli. A single fruit contains more fibre than a glass of fruit juice made from 3–4 whole fruits.
Incorporating salads with raw veggies is a good option because they are an excellent source of nutrients. For a balanced dinner, a large bowl of salad with vegetables and sprouts is a must-have. Due to their high protein and fibre content, they should be consumed twice daily.
Limited Salt Intake
The daily recommended salt intake for healthy people is 5-6 g per day. However, if you have a history of heart disease or has had cardiac surgery, your salt daily intake should not exceed 2 g, which is about half of the teaspoon. Overconsumption of salt in your diet may raise your blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease. Reduce your salt intake by using less salt in the kitchen, avoiding table salt while dining, limiting processed canned foods, avoiding salty crackers and snacks.
Curb on Sugar Consumption
Sugar contains carbohydrates that are easily digestible and absorbable. Many people are unaware that sugar, like fat, plays a role in heart disease. Sugar that is consumed in excess amount is converted to fat and get stored within the body. A diet that exceeds the recommended calorie intake can lead to weight gain as well as high blood pressure and diabetes risk factors. You should not consume more than 6-8 tablespoons of sugar throughout the day.
Fruits, which contain natural sugar, should also be avoided. Fruit consumption should be limited, especially for diabetics, or you can choose low-sugar fruits. Berries, oranges, sweet limes, apples and pear are high in fibre but low in sugar.
>>Also read Why should you invest in Heart Insurance?
Basic Do’s and Don’ts
A sedentary lifestyle is a major contributor to the development of heart disease. Physical activity helps you lose weight, improves your heart rate, increases the amount of oxygen in your blood, and keeps your heart healthy. Aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes has been shown to improve blood pressure, reduce damage and stress on the heart.
Excessive drinking over a long period can raise your blood pressure and lower your good cholesterol. Alcohol also raises your heart rate and causes you to gain weight. Similarly, consistent smoking is known to be a major cause of Coronary Heart Disease. Smoking not only raises your heart rate and blood pressure but also causes oxidative damage to your body. If you want a healthy heart, try to break these habits.
Stress is also a major contributor to heart disease. Stress and an unhealthy lifestyle can lead to a variety of health problems. Get rid of stress and strive for a healthier, happier life. When you're under a lot of stress, try something new, listen to music, or go for a walk. Try to maintain a daily diet plan and strive for a healthier lifestyle. Plan your menu a day before and stick to it. Assess yourself by keeping track of what you eat and how much you eat. Check your blood pressure regularly and pamper your heart.
Care for your Heart with Care Heart Plan
Health is one of life's greatest gifts which you should always respect and care for it. Health should be holistic, which means that you should be concerned with your physical well-being and your mental well-being. A heart and health insurance policy provides the financial security needed to deal with any medical emergencies, among the many ways to achieve your health objectives. You can choose CHI's Heart Health Insurance Plan, which pays for the actual costs incurred in the event of a medical emergency requiring hospitalisation and treatment.
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Disclaimer - The above information is for reference purposes only—Policy Assurance and Claims at underwriter discretion.
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