Apart from following Healthy lifestyle, once a year get one of the tests that are described in the slides. Talk to your doctor about the tests. It helps to prevent and take action to keep your heart healthy.

Control blood pressure: Lifestyle changes, exercise and diet are helping to control high blood pressure

Drink water: Keep your body hydrated. Dehydration thickens blood and causes hypertension. Overtime it could cause plaque in arteries.   If you are an athlete, hydrate 2-3 hours before your activity, drink water during activity, eat well, consume fresh and nutritious food.

Cholesterol and triglyceride level control: To avoid having clogged arteries and heart attack, reduce fat intake, consume fats that are heart friendly. Healthy eating habits and exercises help to reduce high level cholesterol.

Regular exercise: Heart friendly yoga, Pilates, and other form exercises improve blood circulation to heart and other body parts. Reduce weight and keep healthy weight that is appropriate for your age group. Controlling weight gain helps heart. 

Do not smoke: Smoking is injurious to health, don’t smoke. If you are not smoking, keep your lifestyle that way. Smoking increases blood pressure and is one of the leading causes of stroke and heart attack.

Alcohol consumption: Let your alcohol consumption be moderate. Too much alcohol increases blood pressure, adds extra calories and one can gain weight. What is moderate alcohol consumption? Learn here.

Healthy diet: Reduce sodium, sugar, and fats. Add vegetables, fruits, cereals, and whole grain in your food. Reduce fat and stick to DASH diet that helps to keep blood pressure low.

Getting good sleep: Risk of having high blood pressure, diabetes is high if you don’t get enough sleep and rest. People who do not get enough rest and sleep after heavy exercise or hard work are more often tend to get heart attack. If you have any sleep related problems including sleep apnea, insomnia, snoring – talk to your doctor for solution.

Stress management: Stress can only cause harm to your body. Stress can trigger heart attack. People who cannot manage stress properly often end up consuming more calories by overeating, drinking, and smoking. Learn to manage stress by meditating, by adopting to activities that brings peace to your mind.

Blood sugar: High blood sugar or diabetes can damage blood vessels and body nerves that control heart and blood vessels. Learn to manage diabetes with foods and lifestyle.   

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