World Heart Day is celebrated every year on 29th September and as cardiovascular disease is the world’s number 1 killer, it’s a good opportunity to think about our own heart health and what we can do to protect it.
Heart disease and stroke, is the leading cause of death in the world, claiming 18.6 million lives each year. Through education and access to suitable health care , it is hoped that this number can be dramatically reduced.
So, what can we do to protect our heart?
1. Give up smoking
The biggest single thing you can do to help your heart health is to give us smoking. Smoking damages the blood vessels leading to your heart, brain and other parts of your body. This makes you four times more likely to die of a heart attack or stroke and three times more likely to die from cardiac death.
It can be tough to stop and may take several attempts, a lot of support and nicotine replacements. But it’s worth it! Your risk immediately reduces after stopping and after a year decreases significantly again. And best of all? It could gain you more time to spend with loved ones.
2. Get moving
Aim for at least 30 to 60 minutes of activity daily as this can help reduce your risk of heart disease.
Physical activity helps control your weight. It also reduces the chances of developing other conditions that may put a strain on the heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes.
Research shows that exercise reduces cardiovascular risk factors, and this reduction in risk factors is independent of changes to body weight or incidence of type 2 diabetes. Exercise is also an important therapeutic treatment for patients who have cardiovascular diseases further demonstrating the protective and restorative properties of exercise.
3. Eat a heart healthy diet
A healthy diet can help protect the heart, improve blood pressure and cholesterol, and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Eating an unhealthy diet that is high in fat on the other hand will make hardening of the arteries worse and increase your risk of a heart attack.
Two examples of heart-healthy food plans include the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan and the Mediterranean diet.
Both feature eating:
- Vegetables and fruits
- Lean meats and fish
- Fat free dairy foods
- Whole grains
- Healthy fats
And reducing the intake of:
- Salt
- Sugar
- Fried foods
- Cakes and biscuits
- Fatty foods
A convenient way to add nutrients and vitamins to your diet is to drink an organic superfood juice to your diet daily. Wheatgrass juice contains high levels of vitamins A, B5, B12 and E along with powerful plant sterols. It helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
4. Manage stress
Ongoing stress not only takes an emotional and psychological toll, but it can also produce physical symptoms. Those may include headaches, an upset stomach, tense and aching muscles, insomnia and low energy, it may also case heart disease.
Stress may lead to high blood pressure, which can pose a risk for heart attack and stroke. Stress also may contribute to such cardiovascular disease risks as smoking, overeating and lack of physical activity.
In a study in 2017 it showed that chronic stress is associated with cardiovascular events. By using images from the brain, it showed links between the parts of the brain involved with stress and fear and cardiovascular disease.
It is important to manage stress, by whichever way you chose. Socialising, laughing, taking time out are a few examples.
Scientists have discovered that people with heart disease who practised meditation - for just 15 minutes a day can cut their risk of heart attack and stroke by half, compared to those who don’t – maybe meditation could work for you.
Wheatgrass juice contains over 91 minerals, 20 amino acids and 80 active enzymes but one of the biggest components is chlorophyll. The primary component in chlorophyll is magnesium which acts as a natural stress reliever. An easy way to get some stress relief!
5. Cut down on alcohol
While moderate amounts of alcohol can offer some heart benefits, too much can have damaging effects.
There is a clear link between regularly drinking too much alcohol and having high blood pressure. Over time, high blood pressure (hypertension) puts a strain on the heart muscle and can lead to cardiovascular disease, which increases your risk of a heart attack and stroke.
The recommended weekly consumption of alcohol is no more than 14 units per week for both men and women. If you consume more than this, try to cut down.
World Heart Day is a global campaign during which individuals, families, communities, and governments around the world participate in activities to take charge of their heart health and that of others.
Adding a superfood juice to your diet is a convenient way to ensure that you are getting all the vitamins and nutrients that your body needs and supporting heart health. To order yours visit our shop here today.
