How to Get a Healthy Heart
Heart disease is the number one killer in the world.
It claims 18 million lives a year worldwide.
What is not often known is that heart disease is a silent killer.
By the time the symptoms show, either a heart attack or stroke, it is already too late.
Heart disease can begin in childhood.
The best is to start prevention by practicing healthy living from young, and the best place to begin is at home.
Since this topic is about how to get a healthy heart, the following are a few important pointers on how to get a healthy heart.
Here we introduce the term 'metabolic risk factors'.
According to experts, the number of metabolic risk factors will determine a person's risk of coronary heart disease and other diseases related to plaque deposits, as well as Type 2 diabetes.
The metabolic risk factors are: 1.
Abdominal obesity 2.
High LDL, also termed 'bad' cholesterol 3.
Low HDL, also termed 'good' cholesterol 4.
High blood pressure 5.
High blood glucose.
According to experts, the more metabolic risk factors you have, the higher is the chance that you will get heart diseases.
Recognizing your metabolic risk factors will help you understand on how to get a healthy heart.
How are the risks assessed? Abdominal obesity is determined by physical measurement of your waist girth while the other 4 risk factors can be determined by a detailed blood test.
The following are the healthy values: oTotal cholesterol - less than 5.
2 mmol/L oLDL - less than 3.
3 mmol/L oHDL - more than 1.
02 mmol/L for men and more than 1.
3 mmol/L for women oTriglycerides - less than 1.
7 mmol/L oBody Mass Index - between 18.
5 and 25 oWaist girth - less than 40 inches for men and less than 35 inches for women oBlood glucose - 3.
8 to 6.
1 mmol/L before meals; less than 7.
8 mmol/L two hours after meal oBlood pressure - less than 130 / 80 Other factors on how to get a healthy heart to take into consideration are: oDo you smoke? Cigarettes will dramatically increase your chance for heart diseases oDo you exercise? It is recommended you do half an hour of vigorous or one hour of less vigorous exercise a day oHow is your diet? Do you take high fiber food like oats? Oats have been clinically proven to lower cholesterol oDo you take lots of plant foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and legumes? oDo you restrict your intake of salt and sugar, and avoid preserved meats like bacon and ham? oDo you manage your weight well? Overweight and obesity are linked to cardiovascular diseases as well as a host of other chronic diseases like diabetes, various types of cancer and osteoarthritis.
A person having a BMI of 25 to 30 is classified as overweight, while a BMI of over 30 is considered obese.
The topic on how to get a healthy heart involves the young, as heart diseases can progress silently from young without warning.
Once the symptoms emerge, it is often too late.
As head of families it is our duty to ensure the young are well educated on this topic.
Disclaimer: these notes are for educational purposes only and are not deemed to replace sound medical advices.
If you suspect you have heart ailments or need more medical advice on how to get a healthy heart, you should consult your doctor.
It claims 18 million lives a year worldwide.
What is not often known is that heart disease is a silent killer.
By the time the symptoms show, either a heart attack or stroke, it is already too late.
Heart disease can begin in childhood.
The best is to start prevention by practicing healthy living from young, and the best place to begin is at home.
Since this topic is about how to get a healthy heart, the following are a few important pointers on how to get a healthy heart.
Here we introduce the term 'metabolic risk factors'.
According to experts, the number of metabolic risk factors will determine a person's risk of coronary heart disease and other diseases related to plaque deposits, as well as Type 2 diabetes.
The metabolic risk factors are: 1.
Abdominal obesity 2.
High LDL, also termed 'bad' cholesterol 3.
Low HDL, also termed 'good' cholesterol 4.
High blood pressure 5.
High blood glucose.
According to experts, the more metabolic risk factors you have, the higher is the chance that you will get heart diseases.
Recognizing your metabolic risk factors will help you understand on how to get a healthy heart.
How are the risks assessed? Abdominal obesity is determined by physical measurement of your waist girth while the other 4 risk factors can be determined by a detailed blood test.
The following are the healthy values: oTotal cholesterol - less than 5.
2 mmol/L oLDL - less than 3.
3 mmol/L oHDL - more than 1.
02 mmol/L for men and more than 1.
3 mmol/L for women oTriglycerides - less than 1.
7 mmol/L oBody Mass Index - between 18.
5 and 25 oWaist girth - less than 40 inches for men and less than 35 inches for women oBlood glucose - 3.
8 to 6.
1 mmol/L before meals; less than 7.
8 mmol/L two hours after meal oBlood pressure - less than 130 / 80 Other factors on how to get a healthy heart to take into consideration are: oDo you smoke? Cigarettes will dramatically increase your chance for heart diseases oDo you exercise? It is recommended you do half an hour of vigorous or one hour of less vigorous exercise a day oHow is your diet? Do you take high fiber food like oats? Oats have been clinically proven to lower cholesterol oDo you take lots of plant foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and legumes? oDo you restrict your intake of salt and sugar, and avoid preserved meats like bacon and ham? oDo you manage your weight well? Overweight and obesity are linked to cardiovascular diseases as well as a host of other chronic diseases like diabetes, various types of cancer and osteoarthritis.
A person having a BMI of 25 to 30 is classified as overweight, while a BMI of over 30 is considered obese.
The topic on how to get a healthy heart involves the young, as heart diseases can progress silently from young without warning.
Once the symptoms emerge, it is often too late.
As head of families it is our duty to ensure the young are well educated on this topic.
Disclaimer: these notes are for educational purposes only and are not deemed to replace sound medical advices.
If you suspect you have heart ailments or need more medical advice on how to get a healthy heart, you should consult your doctor.
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