How to Prevent Congestive Heart Failure & COPD
- 1). Drink one to two liters of water every day. Drinking enough water daily can help prevent the accumulation of thick mucus in your lungs, allowing you to breathe easily and preventing COPD. Drinking water also prevents thickening of the blood that can strain your heart.
- 2). You can prevent COPD and congestive heart failure by avoiding foods high in calories and salt. These kinds of foods can cause fat build-up in the arteries and increases the workload of the lungs. Avoid canned vegetables and soups, sweet pastries and processed foods and consume more vegetables and fruits. Consult a nutritionist or dietician. These health care professionals can help you prevent COPD and CHF by providing you with a weekly diet plan and inform you of the best types of foods to eat that can help strengthen your lungs and heart. See link below to find a nutritionist in your area.
- 3). Give up smoking and avoid second-hand smoke. The tobacco from cigarette smoking is toxic to heart and lung cells. Smoking increases the risk factor for COPD and congestive heart failure.
- 4). Exercise every day. This will strengthen your lungs as well as your heart, allowing your cardiovascular system to send oxygen all over the body with each beat. In addition, exercising will help improve your pulmonary system to process the highest amount of oxygen to further assist with distribution of oxygen to all cells. Aerobics and similar activities will help make your heart and lungs strong.
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