Contents:
- Medical Video: 4 Ways to Prevent Heart Attack - Mayo Clinic
- 1. Move
- 2. Choose fats that are good for the heart
- 3. Fill the plate with whole grainfruit and vegetables
- 4. Maintain an ideal body weight
- 5. Stop smoking
- 6. Check your condition
Medical Video: 4 Ways to Prevent Heart Attack - Mayo Clinic
You can take steps to prevent heart attacks and strokes when you have diabetes. Lifestyle changes can make a big difference. In people under the age of 75, a quarter of deaths from heart disease and stroke can be prevented. You need to be proactive for your heart health when you have diabetes. That's because the risk of strokes and heart attacks is twice that of someone who doesn't have diabetes. Here are six ways to help reduce your risk:
1. Move
Exercise strengthens your heart, lowers your blood pressure, burns calories, and improves blood sugar levels and cholesterol levels. Simultaneously, this is a strong protection. You don't have to join a gym to be active - unless you want to, of course. Walking fast for 30 minutes at least 5 days a week reduces the chances of heart disease and stroke. If 30 minutes seems too long, start little by little and slowly. The key is to run fast and increase how long and how often you move.
Tip: Consider buying a pedometer (step counter). You can use it to find out how many steps you take in a day. This tool can motivate you to be more active.
2. Choose fats that are good for the heart
The type of fat in the food you eat affects cholesterol in your bloodstream. Reduce processed snacks, sweet foods, fried foods, milk and cheese, solid fat such as butter, and fatty red meat. They contain saturated fats that are not good for your heart. Instead, choose unsaturated fats mainly from plants, such as vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds. They are considered "good fats" because they can improve your cholesterol levels, which are good for your heart. Omega-3 fats are also good for a healthy heart. It helps keep your heart arteries from blockage.
So try to eat fish that is not fried, at least twice a week. Choose healthy fatty fish such as salmon, albacore tuna, sardines, freshwater fish, and mackerel to increase your omega-3 healthy fats. Soy products, walnuts, flaxseed and canola oil are other good sources of omega-3.
Tip: For the best heart benefits, remove bad fat and add good fat at the same time, rather than burgers or ribs (which have unhealthy saturated fats), it's better to consume grilled salmon or trout. Instead of using butter when cooking, use vegetable oil, olive oil, or canola oil. Instead of adding cheese to your sandwich, it's better to try adding avocados.
3. Fill the plate with whole grainfruit and vegetables
Whole grains or whole wheat, fruits, and vegetables are the ones that contain the most fiber and are low in calories. That makes all three ideal foods if you want to stay at a healthy weight. A 2009 study explained that people could reduce the risk of heart attack by 81% and the risk of stroke by 50% if they:
- Maintain their weight
- Exercise as much as 3.5 hours or more in a week
- Do not smoke
- Eat whole grainfruit and vegetables
A large study in 2011 showed that Swedish women who ate lots of fruits and vegetables that were rich in anti-oxidants were able to reduce the risk of stroke by 17%. Orange and orange, red, yellow and green vegetables and fruits are good sources of antioxidants.
Tip: fill half of your dinner plate with fruit and vegetables.
4. Maintain an ideal body weight
Eliminating excess weight is not an easy thing. However, a study shows that ideal body weight will reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. a powerful way is to run a healthy lifestyle is to reduce calories and by exercising regularly.
Tip: Don't despair if it really takes time to lose weight. Even if you haven't lost weight, at least you've done the right thing to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by exercising and eating healthy foods.
5. Stop smoking
Smoking is very dangerous for the heart, not only for the lungs. Smoking increases the risk of heart attack by 2-4 times, and double the risk of having a stroke. Quitting smoking is not an easy thing, but you need to know that many people manage to quit smoking. At present there are more ex-smokers than current smokers.
Counseling individually, in groups or by telephone, or therapy that focuses on problem solving, can help smokers who want to quit. Nicotine patches, inhaler (such as asthma medication), the medication your doctor prescribes may also be useful. Counseling coupled with drugs is usually more effective than just one of them.
Tip: Look for help to stop smoking through special counseling, or see a doctor to ask for help so you can stop smoking.
6. Check your condition
Controlling your diabetes can reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. If you can maintain blood pressure, cholesterol, and A1c levels (your average glucose level in the past 2-3 months) remains normal, you will be fine.
But, to do this, you need to know your true condition. Do it check up routine including blood tests and other physical testing.
