Heart is the most important
organ of body to sustain life….Adding life to heart means adding years to
Life!” To Add life to your Heart now
there is an Age-By-Age Guide which
help in bringing Small Changes, Big Results
•
Every 39 seconds in the United
States, someone dies from cardiovascular disease, according to the American
Heart Association (AHA). Most of those deaths are completely preventable by
working with your doctor to understand your own personal risks for heart
disease, and then making a few changes in your health habits to lower those
risks. The best health habits are those you adopt when you’re young and
continue throughout your life, but it’s never too late to make changes that can
protect your heart and help you live a happier, healthier life overall. Here,
an age-by-age guide to getting -- and keeping -- a healthy heart.
•
In Your 20s: Drink Water
Coming out of your teens, you may regularly drink soda, sports drinks or
big glasses of juice. Switching at least one or two of these drinks a day to
water will not only save you money, it may also save your heart. These drinks
are the number one source of added sugar in the diet. The AHA recommends that
women consume no more than 100 calories (6 teaspoons) of added sugar per day,
and men no more than 150 calories (9 teaspoons). A single 12-ounce soft drink
contains 130 calories, or about 8 teaspoons. Studies show that people who get a
lot of their calories from added sugars often don’t consume enough fiber,
calcium, iron, zinc and vitamin A in their diets. What’s more, drinking your
“discretionary calories” is less satisfying than eating them, so you’re more
likely to overeat, which may put you on the path to being overweight, having
high blood pressure and being at higher risk for diabetes -- all dangers to
your heart. If plain water is just too, well, plain, squirt a lemon or lime in
it, drink seltzer or brew up some unsweetened iced tea.
•
In Your 20s: Find a Better Stress
Reliever
Now is the time to switch your bad habits to good ones. If you started
smoking cigarettes as a way to fit in and look cool in your teens, and in your
20s you’re doing it to reduce stress, stopping smoking is the number one thing
you can do for your heart. “People who smoke in their 20s and continue for the
rest of their lives die on average 12 to 14 years younger than non smokers.
“However, it’s easier to quit smoking in your 20s than it is later in life,
because the habit is less ingrained. Any form of exercise is a better stress
reducer than smoking, but people in their 20s might want to take advantage of
their natural flexibility and try yoga.”
·
In Your 20s: Learn Your
Family History
Now is the time to fill in the leaves on your family health tree. Talk
to your parents and other relatives to find out what medical conditions run in
your family. Although most people in their 20s aren’t at imminent risk of heart
attack or stroke, your risks of these conditions might be much higher if a
close relative experienced them at an early age. If your father had a heart
attack before age 55 or your mother had one before age 65, or even if a
grandparent, uncle or aunt had a heart attack or stroke at these young ages,
you may be at increased risk and need to be doing everything possible now to
protect your heart. You should also have your blood pressure checked every two
years starting at age 18
·
In Your 30s: Set
Post-Pregnancy Exercise Goals
These are prime weight-gaining years, especially if you are experiencing
pregnancies. “Women get into a vicious cycle,”
“They’ll have a baby, gain 40 pounds and lose five. They’ll have another
baby, gain 40 pounds and lose 10, and then by the end of their 30s, they turn
around and they’ve gained 90 pounds. The 30s are when many women start taking
care of everyone but themselves, but these are important years to keep weight
under control, and it’s easier to lose weight in your 30s than when your
metabolism starts slowing down in your 40s.” Set exercise goals to help you
lose your excess weight between pregnancies. Purchase a baby jogger and jog
every day. Set a goal to participate in a charity walk in a couple of months
and start walking every day. In other words, move more in any way you can.
•
In Your 30s: Do Something You Love
Every Day
“Whatever activity makes you feel really good inside, make sure you do
it for at least 15 or 20 minutes every day.”
“For some people it might be meditation, for others it’s running, and for
others it may be reading. Whatever relaxes and restores you, carve out time
each day to do it and it could become a habit for life.
·
In Your 30s: Know Your
Numbers
By now you should be familiar with your “three Bs”: your body mass
index, blood pressure and blood cholesterol. If any of your numbers are not in
the target ranges for heart health, talk to your doctor about changes you can
make to improve them. Here are the numbers you should aim for, according to the
AHA:
-- Blood pressure: Less than 130/80 mm Hg.
-- Blood cholesterol: LDL (low-density lipoproteins, or “lousy cholesterol”)
below 100 mg/dL; HDL (high-density lipoprotein, or “healthy cholesterol”) above
40 mg/dL for men and above 50 mg/dL for women;
-- Triglycerides: Below 150 mg/dL.
-- Body mass index: Healthy range is 18.6 to 24.9, with a waistline smaller
than 35 inches for women, 40 inches for men.
·
Your 40s: Weight Train
“For women, the 40s are when your body starts losing a lot of its lean
muscle tissue and metabolism slows, making you more likely to gain
weight,” “The AHA recommends women
weight train at least two times a week, which can keep your metabolism up,
strengthen your bones and help you look and feel great as you start heading
toward menopause.”
•
In Your 40s: Nurture Your Relationships
“By the time you’re in your 40s, you realize how important relationships
become in helping you get through difficult times and in helping encourage you
to make healthy choices in your life.”“If you haven’t already done it, now is
the time to create and nurture that network of support around you. Research
shows that people who are isolated in their 50s and 60s have more health
problems than those who are surrounded by people who care about them.” Spend
time with people you love and care about, whether it’s your spouse, children,
siblings, friends, fellow members or other loved ones.
·
In Your 40s: Add
Another Number
The
AHA recommends having your blood glucose (sugar) level checked every three
years beginning at age 45 to help monitor your risks for diabetes and heart
disease. The recommended level on a fasting blood glucose test is less than 100
mg/dL. If yours is higher, talk to your doctor about ways to lower your risk
for diabetes.
·
In Your 50s: Rethink
When You Eat
The often-repeated advice to eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a
prince and dinner like a pauper is especially true as you age into your 50s and
beyond. “Most people need to eat fewer calories overall when they hit their
50s, and it’s best to eat most of your calories earlier in the day and not be
locked into the idea that you need three big meals a day.” “You need calories
early in the day to rev up your metabolism and give you energy for the things
you need to do, and it’s fine to have a good-sized meal at lunchtime, but
eating a lot in the evening may interfere with your sleep as your body works to
digest the food. Most people in their 50s don’t need a lot of calories for the activities they do at night. Those
extra calories that aren’t burned off just contribute to weight gain.”
·
In Your 50s: Volunteer
In your 20s and 30s, there tends to be a lot to be excited about --
marriage, babies being born, careers taking off. By the time you reach your
50s, those big life events may be in your past, and you may instead be facing
an empty nest, parents who are dying or already gone and the denouement of your
career. “Volunteering is a great way to bring more positives into your life.”
“Whether it’s by starting a new group related to a cause you care about or
helping out someone in your community, having something that you’re committed
to can have a very positive impact on your life.”
·
In Your 50s: Get
Screened
The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends a bone mineral density
test after age 50 if you have risk factors such as being menopausal or having a
family history of osteoporosis. Although not directly related to your heart,
“conditions that predispose to osteoporosis also predispose to heart disease -- namely, inactivity and poor diet,” A bone mineral density test may pick up
thinning bone problems that could predispose you to falls. If you fall, you may
not be able to exercise for a while, which could set you up for weight gain and
health problems. Strong bones help you have a strong heart.
·
In Your 60s and Over:
Adjust Your Exercise to Accommodate Your Body
It’s important to maintain the momentum that you built up in your 30s,
40s and 50s. If you continue to be active into your senior years, your heart
will look and act younger. In their 60s, some people start experiencing issues
like arthritis and back pain, and you may have to switch from running to
walking or from tennis to water aerobics. Find what works for you and keep
doing it. Continue strength training twice a week, too. It will help you to
maintain your lean body mass.
·
In Your 60s and Over:
Take Up Yoga
Studies show that yoga not only helps you de-stress, it helps to prevent
balance problems that can lead to falls in your later years. It also helps reduce pain if you have any chronic conditions, and improves sleep, all
of which are good for your heart,”
·
In Your 60s and Over:
Get Talking
Call
your doctor at the first sign of any unusual symptom, even if you don’t think
it’s serious. “In terms of heart disease, symptoms including chest pressure,
tightness in your jaw, profound fatigue and shortness of breath with activity
all may indicate heart problems.” Your
doctor may recommend more detailed screening to assess your risks, and, if
necessary, treatment to help you live a longer, healthier life
Add
Years to Your Life by new ways to protect against heart disease:
•
Spice Up Your Meals..Indian
masalas are full of antioxidants
•
Eat a Handful of Nuts Daily
•
Eat Fruit -- Especially Kiwis
The kiwi’s lutein -- a plant compound that helps artery walls stay relaxed --
keeps your blood pressure down even when your stress levels climb.
•
Hang Out with a Friend.. The
Cleveland Clinic research suggests that nurturing a couple of solid friendships
can cut your risk of heart disease by 40 percent…But No FB
•
Eat Your Snack Mid-Afternoon..
Just trimming your waistline so it measures 34 inches or less -- even if you’re
nowhere near your goal weight -- will cut your risk of heart disease by 72
percent. “Other fat stores -- like the stuff that gives people curvy hips and
thighs -- just take up space, but belly fat produces a steady stream of
heart-damaging inflammation,”
•
Take Fish Oil Daily..Hundreds
of studies document fish oil’s heart-protecting powers: Its omega-3 fats lower
your liver’s production of triglycerides .
•
Eat a Hearty Breakfast…Recent
research shows moving most of your daily fat into your morning meal (and saving
carbs for later in the day) reduces your production of artery-clogging
triglycerides and prevents blood sugar surges -- two huge risk factors for
heart disease. Eating fat first thing in the morning switches on your body’s
natural ability to properly burn and
use all types of food -- so
that far less of it ends up clogging your arteries and damaging your heart.
•
Consider an Air Purifier..If
you struggle with bad allergies to dust, mold or dander, getting your symptoms
under control could cut your risk of heart disease by 30 percent or more.
•
Tidy Up Your Home..Staying fit
by getting roughly 30 minutes of light exercise daily can cut your risk of
heart disease in half because exercise raises your production of
artery-clearing HDL cholesterol by 10 percent or more. And you don’t have to
lace up your sneakers to get this great health perk. In a surprising new study,
the fittest women weren’t the ones exercising outdoors -- they were the ones
with the cleanest houses!
•
Sip Green Tea/Hibiscus Tea..When
folks with heart-damaging high blood pressure sip 24 ounces of Green/Hibiscus
tea daily, their pressure readings can plunge 13 points in six weeks. That
makes this flavorful brew as powerful as ACE Inhibitors, a class of
prescription drugs used to lower blood pressure
Another
important factor is Stress as a risk factor towards heart disease. How One Can
Make Intensive Changes to Manage Stress?
•
Try directed breathing. Practice
inhaling slowly and filling your belly, then exhaling and drawing your belly
button toward your spine. You can also learn three-part breathing. Take in air
smoothly, as a flowing inhalation from your abdomen, then your chest, and then
your throat. Reverse the process as you exhale.
•
Meditate. If you meditate daily,
you will learn to focus on the present moment. Most people who meditate do so
twice a day. When you concentrate on your breath or on a candle flame, for
example, you clear your mind of thoughts and feelings that may get in the way
of relaxation.
•
Pray. Prayer allows you to turn
your problems over to a higher power. When you trust in your faith, you realize
that you may be guided by something bigger than yourself. This belief may help
you to stick with your intensive lifestyle changes.
•
Try progressive muscle relaxation.
This is a series of exercises that teach you to first tense and then relax your
muscle groups. Starting with your toes and feet, work your way up, stopping at
each body part. First tighten them, then relax them.
•
Stretch. You may do any activity
that gently extends the range of your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. You can
start with these three moves. Raise your arms way above your head. Bend over,
with your knees slightly bent, and reach for the ground so you feel a gentle
stretch from your neck to your heels. Shrug your shoulders.
•
Use visualization. This technique
teaches you how to use your imagination to help reduce stress. You focus on a
positive experience you have had or would like to have. For instance, visualize
yourself on a beach. See the sun, hear the waves, feel the salty air on your
skin. Or pick any time or place where you were truly relaxed and your breathing
was calm. You can use this mental experience to achieve a new kind of peace.
•
Try yoga. This ancient Indian
practice involves breathing, relaxation, and stretching in a series of
postures.
If
you have heart disease, a program of rehabilitation that is supervised by
healthcare providers may help you do the following:
•
increase your ability to engage in
activity
•
decrease your symptoms, such as
chest pain, breathlessness, and fatigue
•
improve your blood cholesterol
levels
•
get help to quit smoking, if you
smoke
•
reduce stress
•
improve your psychological outlook
•
reduce your risk of death from
heart disease
Our
country is slowly witnessing a cardiac
rehabilitation program which is a program designed to support you. Rehab staff
work with you to:
•
improve your diet
•
increase your exercise
•
change other habits that affect
your heart
•
Healthcare providers trained to
help you in these areas supervise the program. Cardiac rehab is meant to help
you recover faster and return to a full, active life. This is true whether you
have had a heart attack or heart surgery. It can also help if you've had
another procedure, such as bypass surgery.
