heart disease kills more men than any other disease. According to the American Heart Association, almost 33 million American men have cardiovascular disease, and over 430,000 die from it every year. Sadly, many of these deaths were preventable. The key is to act now — don't wait until your first heart attack to drop any bad health habits, start exercising and adopt a healthier diet. You've only got one heart, so here are some tips to keep it healthy: 1. Avoid tobacco altogether Smoking is a huge risk factor of heart disease, in addition to lung cancer and emphysema. This is because many of the chemicals found in tobacco smoke (there are over 4,800 of them, 69 of which are cancer causing) can actually damage the heart and cause atherosclerosis, or a narrowing of the blood vessels caused by a buildup of plaque in the walls of the arteries. Moreover, the nicotine in cigarettes can constrict blood vessels, thus increasing blood pressure and forcing the heart to work harder. Cigarette smoke also contains carbon monoxide, which displaces oxygen in your blood. Less oxygen in the blood means that your heart has to work harder and pump more blood to satisfy the body's needs. If you're not a smoker, good for you, but remember to avoid breathing secondhand smoke. If you are a smoker, keep in mind that quitting can dramatically reduce your risk of developing heart disease. Lastly, if you think that smokeless tobacco is okay, think again: Chewing tobacco and low-tar/low-nicotine cigarettes still deliver nicotine (not to mention chemicals like carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and nitrogen gases) to your body, and therefore are bad for your heart. 2. Exercise toward a healthy heart It's important to get a good workout on a regular basis. Indeed, inactivity is a major risk factor of heart disease, to a similar degree as smoking, high cholesterol level, and high blood pressure. Men who have an active lifestyle have a 45% lower risk of developing heart disease compared to those who do not exercise. The key is to get enough exercise — that is, at least 30 to 60 minutes of medium-intensity exercise (such as brisk walking and stair climbing) per day, or at least most days of the week. But exercise doesn't have to be dull or take place at the gym — dancing, for example, is fun and comes in various intensity levels. For instance, low-intensity dances include slow waltz and fox trot; medium-intensity dances include quick waltz, folk dance and slow disco; and high-intensity dances include disco and aerobic dance. A good way to know if you're exercising enough is to check your heart rate. You can do this easily by using a heart rate monitor, available at any sporting goods store. Be sure to know your maximum heart rate, or your highest number of heart beats per minute when exercising at a maximal level. To know your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220; so for instance, if you are 30 years old, then your max heart rate while exercising is 190. You can then use a percentage of your maximum heart rate as a measurement of exercise intensity (aim for 60% to 90% as your target heart rate). Another simple way to measure your intensity level is by doing something called the "talk test." The test is simple: Try to talk while you're exercising. If you can speak a full sentence or carry on a conversation, then you are exercising at a light- to moderate-intensity level. If you are winded while speaking, then you're at a moderate level. If you're too breathless to speak, then you're doing too much. It's actually not necessary to have a high-intensity workout to be healthy. Low-intensity activities done for a longer amount of time, such as bowling, walking the dog or any other physical activity, can also help. 3. Eat healthy We all know that eating greasy, fatty, cholesterol-laden food is bad for your heart, whereas eating fiber-rich grains and fresh fruits and vegetables is good for your health. But there's more to helping your heart. For instance: At dinner, decreasing fat intake as compared to carbohydrates can help prevent high levels of triglycerides and cholesterol. For example, eat less red meat, eggs, butter, cream cheese, and sugary desserts. Eating small portions of healthy food, several times a day (sometimes called "healthy snacking"), can be better than eating two or three big meals and can even lead to weight loss. All proteins are not created equal — choose soy, poultry and fish protein (which have more unsaturated fat) over meat (which is high in the "bad" saturated fat). Remember that it may take three to six months to see a reduction in cholesterol after changing your diet (although some people see results in as little as four weeks). Eating right is also important for maintaining a healthy weight — being overweight is one of the risk factors of heart disease. This is because obesity increases high blood pressure, raises your blood cholesterol level (and as a double whammy, also lowers the "good" HDL cholesterol level) and can even cause diabetes and stroke. 4. Get regular checkups Seeing your doctor for a physical on a regular basis can help ensure that any problem with your heart is diagnosed early, when it has the best chance of being treated and cured. You should get your blood pressure checked at least once every two years, and your cholesterol level at least once every five years. Of course, if you are at risk of developing heart disease — because of family history or a congenital heart abnormality — you should see your doctor as often as required. 5. Take your vitamins and supplements Although not a substitute for eating right and exercising, taking supplements can help you maintain a healthy heart. Look for supplements such as Anchor Health's Yourheart Nutrients, which contain the plant phytosterols recommended by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Panel to help lower cholesterol levels; coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), which can help prevent plaque formation in blood vessels and help reduce high blood pressure; and hawthorn berry, which is commonly prescribed in Europe to increase blood flow to the heart and improve its functions. have a healthy heart Avoid an "all or nothing" mentality when it comes to changing your eating habits and exercise level — you can start slow, but start making changes today. Even moderate exercise can help reduce the risk of heart disease. Remember that keeping your heart healthy starts with yourself. It's ultimately up to you to control what you eat, how much you exercise, whether you regularly see the doctor for a checkup, and whether you want to take heart-healthy vitamins and supplements. With these tips, you can help prevent heart disease down the road. Source
Eat healthy Foods Exercise Daily Avoid using too much salt. It can cause high blood pressure, which increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease. Avoid smoking.
