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Showing posts from 2021

Give Up Unhealthy Habits To Cut Your Heart Disease Risk

Most people post-pandemic have become sedentary due to all the lockdowns and other such measures that restricted a whole lot of their activities to curb the spread of the virus. But it’s high time you gave up your sedentary behaviors or unhealthy habits to lower your heart disease risk, which is the leading killer in America. It isn’t as complex as it may seem to adopt healthy measures. As a matter of fact it’s extremely easy to make healthy lifestyle choices and stick to it, you just need to put your mind to it. Adopting heart-healthy habits will help you manage the major risk factors, including high blood pressure and high LDL “bad” cholesterol, which are at the forefront in causing someone to develop heart disease. Blood pressure management - First and foremost, undergo screening for your blood pressure to see if you have hypertension. It isn’t easy to diagnose high blood pressure since there are no obvious symptoms. When your BP is consistently high, it places a great amount of s

Health Risks Of Being Glued To The Screens

Being glued to our screens has kind of become the norm now in view of all the online schooling and work-from-home that the pandemic has brought about. But you may not realize the toll increased screen time is taking on your health. The fact that increased screen time has impacted our lives is pretty evident from the alarming rise in childhood obesity in children, and increased cases of heart disease and stroke among adults. Not to mention the toll it takes on your eyes, sleep, and more. It is extremely important that you keep a track of the amount of time you are spending online if you wish to stay in good shape over the long haul. According to a study, time spent glued to your screen- smartphone, laptop, tablet- has been linked to a higher risk of heart disease, stroke and even cancer , therefore an increased risk of mortality. These are some of the common life-threatening medical emergencies. Increased risk for them can be ascribed to all the sedentary behaviors that the activity o

Obesity In Children Should Not Be Taken Lightly

It’s just been the pandemic and its impact on our health (both physical and mental well-being, as well as kids’) that we have been talking about since the past two years, and rightly so. But now that we have vaccines and getting under its cover, it’s time to bring the focus on a pertinent issue, which is the rise of obesity among kids as fallout of pandemic. Tackling obesity in children is not a new problem, the entire world has been facing this since some time now. It is important for parents to ensure that their kids don’t fall prey to this since obesity is associated with a number of factors that increase the risk for heart disease , such as high levels of LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol, hypertension and worsening diabetes. It is important to remember that early childhood is an integral part of the attitude that the child adopts when they grow up. Also, the pandemic has worsened the situation further, as according to doctors, there has been a rise in the number of cases of childhood obes

Role Your BMI And Waist Circumference Plays In Determining Heart Health

There are a number of factors that go on to tell whether your heart is getting stronger or weakening with each passing day. Whenever we talk about the risk factors or warning signs, our discussions just remain confined to high blood pressure, high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and high blood glucose levels (which, of course, are major heart disease risk factors). However, there are other numbers, too, that you should know for the health of your ticker. This blog aims to throw light upon those critical numbers. So read on: Body Mass Index (BMI) - BMI basically helps to understand whether your weight is in a healthy range. High BMI (between 25 and 29.9) means you are overweight, and are at an increased risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and other chronic illnesses. It is important to achieve a BMI score between 18.5 and 24.9. If your BMI is excessively high, say 30 or above, which means you are obese- a major heart disease risk factor. Your next step is to work w

Tips To Eat Better For Your Heart Health

Heart disease is a leading cause of mortality across the globe. It is true Covid took precedent over everything else, but it’s high time your focus went back to the health of your ticker that remains the leading killer of both women and men worldwide. The best way to keep heart disease from developing is by eating better meaning eating the right stuff and avoiding all the junk and fast foods that makes your ticker more vulnerable to diseases. Eat your way to better heart health: Replace red meat with plant protein - Studies have found increase in the average lifespan for those that consumed more plant protein, such as beans, whole grains, while cutting back on red meat. This can drastically cut your heart disease risk. Avoid ultra-processed foods (chocolate, chips, candy, ice-cream, fries, and packaged soups) at all costs. Breakfast is an important meal - The importance of breakfast as a meal cannot be emphasized enough. As per research, individuals are more likely to die of ca

Learn About The Causes Of A Heart Attack And Cardiac Arrest

People often confuse a heart attack and a cardiac arrest. The similarity ends at both being life-threatening heart conditions. A person struck with either of the two would need swift treatment, or it may cost the person his life. The symptoms and causes vary for both the conditions, and knowing the difference can contribute towards an individual’s survival. A cardiac arrest occurs all of a sudden with the ticker suddenly stopping beating. A heart attack (myocardial infarction- MI) can cause a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). An individual struck with SCA will become unconscious and collapse . The person will require treatment with CPR and AED (available in most public places) to survive. Proper application of the CPR procedure (chest compressions and rescue breaths) will stabilise the condition of the person (by keeping oxygenated blood flowing through the body) until the arrival of emergency medical services. This highlights the importance of CPR training on the part of one and all. The

Start Your Journey To Cardiovascular Heath With These Nuts And Fruits

Heart disease sees no age or gender before affecting. Children and women are equally at risk for heart diseases. The major factors include hypertension, high cholesterol, advancing age, family history, high blood sugar levels. As you can see from these factors, some you can control while some are beyond your control. Some factors that specifically increase women’s risk for developing cardiac diseases include complications associated with pregnancy, menstrual problems and hormonal therapies- all these can negatively impact the ticker. Awareness is key to keeping heart disease at bay. There should be open talks on heart conditions, symptoms associated with a particular condition, etc. which is the only way one will seek proper remedies. One natural and effective way to keeping your heart in good shape is by watching what you are eating. An active lifestyle and a nutritious diet can go a long way towards preventing cardiac diseases. When you are eating right, the risk factors for heart

Measures To Stick To Heart Healthy Habits

There’s no one that doesn’t like to stay in good shape by keeping all the vital organs functioning well. At the end of the day no one likes to or would like to put their health in jeopardy. All of us work towards developing healthy habits and get rid of the unhealthy ones for an increased lifespan. However, what poses a difficulty is making those healthy lifestyle choices or habits stick. Worry not, this blog aims to help you in this regard! These are the habits you should build for the health of your heart due to coronary heart disease (CHD) being the number one cause of mortality in America and worldwide. You can reap numerous benefits from these heart-healthy habits provided you are able to stick to these habits, which are as follows: 1.       Receive regular exercise of at 30 minutes most days of the week 2.       Eat a range of fruits and vegetables while steering clear of foods high in saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, added sugar and cholesterol 3.       Sleep adequately

Heart-Related Questions Women Should Take Up With Their Doctors

Contrary to popular belief, women are equally prone to heart disease as men. In fact, it is the number one killer of women in the United States. Gone are those days when women overlooked the health of their ticker. Looking after their heart is the need of the hour for the female population. Heart disease isn’t just a man’s disease, and women must work with their doctors to keep it at bay. Major heart disease risk factors: 1.       High blood pressure 2.       High levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol 3.       Smoking 4.       Family history 5.       Diabetes Heart disease is said to affect women differently than their male counterparts. For example, menopausal women are at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Also, women are more prone to the damaging effects of smoking than men. The fact that women are more likely to succumb to a heart attack than men can be attributed to the lack of aggressive diagnosis and treatment that females receive. These are the quest

CPR Training At Your Fingertips At The AHA Accredited CPR Memphis

  Most cases of sudden cardiac arrests (SCAs) occur outside the hospital. This is a life-threatening cardiac emergency that necessitates treatment right away since SCA compromises the functioning of the ticker rendering the heart’s function to circulate oxygenated blood ineffective. CPR is the emergency treatment to revive an SCA victim. The procedure comprises chest compressions and rescue breaths. Proper application keeps the blood flowing to all the important organs, such as the victim’s brain, thereby stabilizing the person’s condition until the arrival of emergency medical services. You must take up a CPR class because it’s easy to learn - Contrary to what you may think, CPR is an easy-to-learn procedure in that about anyone can perform it efficiently at any time with the right training. You need not be a health care professional or need formal training, CPR classes are designed for both health care and non-health care providers, and you receive an AHA CPR card (accepted by ev

Eating The Right Foods Is At The Root Of Managing Diabetes

Individuals with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing heart disease, especially individuals with type 2 diabetes. The risk of stroke is also twice as high in these people. This means lifestyle disorders like diabetes can no longer be overlooked and appropriate steps should be taken to keep the blood sugar levels in check. A good place to start is diet- this blog will talk about some of the best foods to manage diabetes, which can help ward off health complications which individuals with high blood glucose levels are at an increased risk of. Here’s what a diabetic’s diet looks like: 1.       Foods that are great sources of carbohydrates, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains like oats and brown rice, nonfat or low fat dairy, such as milk, unsweetened yogurt and cheese. 2.       A lower intake of red and processed meat. Some good alternatives could be eggs, fish (salmon, tuna- contains the heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids), unsalted nuts, chicken, and beans and lentils.

Heart Attack Warning Signs For Females To Take Seriously

Chest pain is perhaps the most common heart attack (myocardial infarction- MI) symptom, but it isn’t the only one sign indicating MI, especially for women. They may not experience the obvious symptoms, and are more likely to experience more nuanced symptoms that are often mistaken for other conditions. Unfortunately, women are much more likely to die following MI than their male counterparts. This can be attributed to their ignoring their symptoms or waiting too long to take action (seek medical help). Receiving swift medical attention is crucial for a heart attack victim’s survival. Outlining MI signs that women especially should watch for so that they can take timely action: Unusual fatigue - It’s okay to feel exhausted after heavy exercise, which is quite normal. But if you are feeling tired when you are just resting or sitting, or something like taking stairs is tiring you, this may be indicative of something more troublesome going on in your ticker. Experiencing heaviness