The onset of cardiovascular disease can be attributed to a combination of environmental risk factors. With an adequate amount of physical activity and sleep, a balanced diet, and a healthy lifestyle, you can prevent cardiovascular disease. Here is how you can achieve an optimal health.
Physical activity
Regular physical activity keeps your heart healthy and has countless other benefits. Daily exercise improves the flow of oxygen, helps keep your weight in check and prevents other conditions that may cause strain on your heart, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. It is never too late to incorporate physical activity into your daily regime; if you are new to exercise, simply start with a 10-minute walk each morning.
Nutrition
Along with regular exercise, dietary behaviours have a significant impact on your cardiovascular health.
While dietary preferences are unique to each individual, universal advice from experts suggests eating less red meat and fatty foods and consuming more fish and plant-based foods.
Adopting a healthy and balanced diet prevents an increase in blood pressure and LDL cholesterol (often known as ‘bad’ cholesterol), which are both characteristic factors for heart disease.
Sleep
There is a growing recognition that sleep affects your cardiovascular health, and it may be one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce heart disease risk.¹
According to the NHS, lack of sleep can negatively impact your blood pressure, contributing to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. There may be evidence indicating that too much sleep may also contribute to this risk, however, research is still in its infancy.
Alcohol
While consuming certain alcohols like red wine in moderation may present benefits for your cardiovascular health, in the long-term, excessive consumption dramatically increases your risk for heart failure, stroke and cardiomyopathy.²
Drinking too much alcohol can raise the levels of triglyceride fats, blood pressure and cardiac arrhythmia. Having more than 14 units a week is equivalent to 6 pints of beer or 10 small glasses of wine; the key here is moderation.
Weight management
Individuals suffering from obesity often experience an increase in blood pressure to support movement and supply an increased amount of oxygen and nutrients.³ Being overweight can also result in a buildup of fatty substances in your arteries, increasing the risk for heart attack or stroke. By implementing even a light form of physical activity and healthier dietary regimes into your life, weight management becomes a much simpler task.
Smoking
You may have heard that smoking contributes to asthma and lung cancer, but did you know it is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease? According to John Hopkins Medicine, smokers are four times more likely to die of heart disease.
Cigarettes lead to a build-up of fatty substances in your arteries (known as atherosclerosis) causing strain on your heart to pump blood. Smoking induces permanent damage to your heart and blood vessels which can cause the onset of cardiovascular disease.
Here is a resource that shows you how to quit smoking and its benefits.
Conclusion
A healthy lifestyle is key for good cardiovascular health and the prevention of cardiovascular disease. By making positive changes to your habits and adopting healthy dietary regimes, you are taking an active step towards reducing your risk of heart attack or stroke in the future.
References
- Nagai M, Hoshide S, Kario K. Sleep duration as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease- a review of the recent literature. Curr Cardiol Rev. 2010;6(1):54-61.
- Alcohol and Stroke [Internet]. London: Stroke Association. 2014 [updated 2014 October; cited 18 January 2022]. Available from: https://www.stroke.org.uk/sites/default/files/alcohol_and_stroke.pdf
- Chiolero, A., Bovet, P., Paradis, G., & Paccaud, F. Has blood pressure increased in children in response to the obesity epidemic?. Pediatrics. 2007;119(3), 544–553.
