Keeping Your Heart Healthy

February is American Heart Month, which means it’s the perfect time to talk about keeping your heart healthy. Did you know heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States? With rates of many different cardiovascular diseases on the rise globally, it’s incredibly important that we treat our hearts with proper care.

With this in mind, 2018 is a fantastic time to transition to a healthier lifestyle by taking advantage of all of the ways to keep your heart, and overall fitness, in check.

Cardiovascular disease can be fatal, so it’s important that people take steps towards preventative care. Symptoms can be as blatant as severe chest pain and palpitations, but in many cases the disease is largely asymptomatic. At Redirect Health, we highly encourage you to visit your doctor on a regular basis so he or she can monitor your predisposition and susceptibility for heart disease in an easy manner.

 Road to Prevention

Beyond reasonable preventative care through check-ups and physical examinations, there are a number of steps an individual can take to prevent heart disease. The following are ways to help decrease your chances of developing cardiovascular problems.

1. Lose weight – Excessive weight gain and keeping the weight on can lead to an overworked heart. Also, many of the unhealthy foods that lead to obesity can cause cholesterol buildup in the arteries which in turn can lead to further heart problems.
2. Destress – Keep stress to a minimum. Stress increases pressure on your heart and arteries that can lead to complications down the line. Taking up healthy activities like meditation and yoga can keep your stress and anxiety levels at bay in your day-to-day life.
3. Keep clean – One cause of heart disease that is not often noted is poor hygiene. Bacterial and viral infections have the ability to cause heart infections, which in turn lead to complications with cardiovascular disease.
4. Quit tobacco products – Smoking has long been known to cause various life-threatening conditions, most notably lung cancer, over time. However, smoking also has a very detrimental effect when it comes to healthy cardiovascular function. Quitting smoking can greatly reduce the chance of heart disease later in life.

Leading a healthy life through the tips above, as well as keeping regular appointments with you doctor, can greatly diminish your risk for heart disease.