Thursday, April 26, 2007
Best diet for healthy heart
The major triggers of heart diseases are obesity and hypertension.
Heart attack signs and symptoms:
1. Chest discomfort: You can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
2. Pain or discomfort in the arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
3. Shortness of breath
4. Cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
Cardiac arrest signs and symptoms:
1. Sudden loss of responsiveness. No response to gentle shaking.
2. Blood pressure and pulse rate drop
3. No signs of circulation.
4. No movement or coughing.
Dietary control is the first step and perhaps the best approach to a “healthy heart” and change a life style can reduce risk of heart disease significantly.
Diet recommendations for a healthy heart:
1. A well-balanced diet like plenty of fiber, fresh fruits (apple etc) and vegetables can save arteries and prevent heart diseases. Foods rich in the antioxidants like beta –carotene, vitamins C and E, and selenium that fight free radicals. Foods like tomatoes, sprouts, raw nuts (except peanuts), garlic etc help to reduce serum cholesterol levels.
2. Avoid foods like coffee, tobacco, alcohol, sugar, butter, red meat, hydrogenated oils, fried fruits, soft drinks, and white flour products etc as they damage the arteries and cause heart attack.
3. Consume no more than 20 to 22% of daily calories from fat per day.
4. Life style modifications: Modify some of those important risk factors which predispose you to develop angina and ultimately leading to heart attack.
5. Smoking: Smokers carry a 3-6 times greater risk of developing heart attack than non smokers. Smoking causes injury to the walls of the arteries and increases cholesterol level and other substance which gradually narrowly the arteries.
6. Obesity: Obese people have excess of harmful cholesterol. Fat deposits causing body weight to be more than 20% normal weight constitutes obesity. Obesity places a strain on the heart.
7. Alcohol: Regular intake of more than moderate quantity of alcohol leads to hypertriglyceridemia which in turn raises bad cholesterol and lead to the increase in abdominal weight.
8. High Blood Pressure: Increase in blood pressure can damage the delicate inner lining of the arteries and allow excess cholesterol to creep into walls of the arteries and cause narrowing of blood vessels.
9. Exercise and Stress: Regular exercise reduces blood cholesterol levels and slows down the process of atherosclerosis and decreases the body weight. It also promotes mental relaxation and reduces strain and stress.
Future stress on cardiac diseases is not about treatment but prevention through healthy diet, regular exercise and disciplined lifestyle.
Friday, April 6, 2007
Heart diseases: Prevention and care
Coronary heart disease is getting epidemic proportions due to rapid rise in stress levels in the family and work life. Irregular timings (stress and strain), lack of control over diet habits and smoking are the major reasons behind increase in incidence of heart patients.
How to prevent heart diseases:
Courtesy: Sciencebob.
1. 1 hour of brisk walking at the speed of 5-6 km daily.
2. High fibre and low fat diet. Eat fruits and green leaf vegetables.
3. Stay away from fast food restaurants. Never eat junk food like pizza etc.
4. Family history of Diabetes, Obesity, Hypertension and lipid disorders are more prone to heart diseases at an early age.
5. Men above the age of 35 years and women over 40 years who are either smokers or alcoholics are at greater risk than normal persons.
6. Strictly follow diet and exercise schedule.
7. Meditation and Yoga help in reducing stress levels.
8. Controlling Blood pressure and Diabetes are essential.
Heart surgery patients – Proper Care
1. During the first 6-8 weeks after discharge, you may feel pain in the chest, shoulders and back. DON’T PANIC. These are healing pains.
2. Begin your walking programme 3-4 days after surgery.
3. Don’t over-exert yourself.
4. Never take a walk immediately after meals.
5. You can climb stairs from the day of discharge, but do so slowly.
6. Don’t begin household chores immediately.
7. Avoid lifting anything that weighs more than 3 kg.
8. While getting up from a chair, try not to put your body weight on your hands.
9. While getting up from bed, roll over to the edge, swing your legs to the floor and push your upper body up with your elbow. Sit on the side of the bed for a couple of minutes before getting up.
10. Avoid pushing and pulling heavy things, mowing, vacuuming or any activity that might put strain on the breast bone.
11. For 7-8 weeks after the attack of surgery, let others drive.
12. 80% of the heart patients can resume normal life through proper rehabilitation programme.
Prevention is better than cure. Balance your family and work life.
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