A myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. While this sounds bad, you can find ways to help blood flow and protect your arteries. Preventing a heart attack is much the same as preventing a stroke or keeping your overall health intact. It requires some diligence, especially if you struggle with some of the implied vices listed below. Just be aware that it does not mean that it is impossible. All you have to do is take it one step at a time, and before long, everything will fall into place. This list is taking into consideration all of the little things you can do to prevent any kind of heart problem. These are the 10 amazing ways to prevent heart attack. (The Best Ways to Prevent Heart Attack)
Best Ways to Prevent Heart Attack
1. Stop Smoking
If you smoke, then you should try to quit. If someone in your household smokes, encourage them to stop. Everyone knows it’s tough; however, it’s tougher to recover from a heart attack or stroke or to live with chronic heart disease. Commit to quit, and you will appreciate yourself for it later on down the line. This goes for cannabis and vapers as well, as vaping often means nicotine is involved. If you are still consuming nicotine, you are still putting yourself at risk for heart attack and stroke. The only difference is that you are not inhaling smoke that contains harmful carcinogens that further damage the lining of your arteries.
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Nicotine itself raises blood pressure, and with this spike, you increase your chances of acute heart attack or coronary heart diseases later on. If you are a smoker, there are plenty of good options you can take advantage of to quit. There are gums and patches that contain nicotine, which help with the craving. Hell, even chewing tobacco is better for you. You can even take the obvious step to quit by vaping and lowing the nicotine percentage over time.
2. Stop Drinking Alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure, increase cardiomyopathy, stroke, cancer, and other diseases It can contribute to high triglycerides and produce irregular heartbeats. Excessive alcohol consumption contributes to obesity, alcoholism, suicide and accidents. It is best to avoid alcohol consumption all together, as the benefits of mild drinking are often dubious and are outweighed by complete abstinence. However, if you cannot help but walk the line, it’s preferred to avoid hard liquor and go for moderate amounts of wine or beer.
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However, there is a cardioprotective effect of moderate alcohol consumption. If you drink, limit your alcohol consumption to no more than two drinks per day for men and no more than one drink per day for women. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines on drink as 1-1/2 fluid ounces (fl oz) of 80-proof spirits (such as bourbon, Scotch, vodka, gin, etc.), 5 fl oz of wine, or 12 fl oz of regular beer. It’s not recommended that nondrinkers start using alcohol or that drinkers increase the amount they drink.
Best Ways to Prevent Heart Attack
3. Good Nutrition
A healthy diet is one of the best weapons you have to fight cardiovascular disease. The food you eat (and the amount) can affect other controllable risk factors: cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes and overweight. Choose nutrient-rich foods — which have vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients but are lower in calories — over nutrient-poor foods. Something like a ketogenic or Mediterranean diet can do worders for you. These diets contain all of the healthy food groups without making any compromises with health.
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Choose a diet that emphasizes intake of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains; includes low-fat dairy products, poultry, fish, legumes, non-tropical vegetable oils, and nuts; and limits intake of sweets, sugar-sweetened beverages, and red meats. And to maintain a healthy weight, coordinate your diet with your physical activity level so you’re using up as many calories as you take in. This can help you keep your weight, but exercise is also useful.
4. Check Cholesterol
Fat lodged in your arteries is a disaster waiting to happen. Sooner or later it could trigger a heart attack or stroke. You’ve got to reduce your intake of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol and get moving. If diet and physical activity alone don’t get those numbers down, then medication may be the key. Take it just like the doctor orders it, and try to avoid overthinking.
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Your total cholesterol score is calculated using the following equation: HDL + LDL + 20 percent of your triglyceride level. A low LDL cholesterol level is considered good for your heart health. However, your LDL number should no longer be the main factor in guiding treatment to prevent heart attack and stroke, according to the latest guidelines from the American Heart Association. For patients taking statins, the guidelines say they no longer need to get LDL cholesterol levels down to a specific target number. Lifestyle factors such as a diet high in saturated and trans fats can raise LDL cholesterol.
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With HDL (good) cholesterol, higher levels are typically better. Low HDL cholesterol puts you at higher risk for heart disease. People with high blood triglycerides usually also have lower HDL cholesterol. Genetic factors, type 2 diabetes, smoking, being overweight and being sedentary can all result in lower HDL cholesterol. Triglyceride is the most common type of fat in the body. Normal triglyceride levels vary by age and sex. A high triglyceride level combined with low HDL cholesterol or high LDL cholesterol is associated with atherosclerosis. This is the buildup of fatty deposits in artery walls that increases the risk for heart attack and stroke.
Best Ways to Prevent Heart Attack
5. Low Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke a leading cause of disability in the United States. Stroke recovery is difficult at best and you could be disabled for life. Shake that salt habit, take your medications as recommended by your doctor and get moving. Those numbers need to get down and stay down. An optimal blood pressure reading is less than 120/80 mmHg. This means that you also avoid alcohol and nicotine, but anxiety can also lead to this. While anxiety may not directly be the culprit here, it is best to avoid it if you can learn to control it. You will feel better for it anyway, so why not at least give it an earnest go.
6. Physical Activity
Be physically active every day. Research has shown that at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity can help lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and keep your weight at a healthy level. And something IS better than nothing. If you’re inactive now, start out slow. Even a few minutes at a time may offer some health benefits. Studies show that people who have achieved even a moderate level of fitness are much less likely to die early than those with a low fitness level. Just be sure to keep your fitness at reasonable levels, because this can bite you back in the short-term.
Best Ways to Prevent Heart Attack
7. Keep Weight Down
Obesity is highly prevalent in America, not only for adults but also for children. Fad diets and supplements are not the answer. Good nutrition, controlling calorie intake, and physical activity are the only way to maintain a healthy weight. Obesity places you at risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and insulin resistance, a precursor of type 2 diabetes — the very factors that heighten your risk of cardiovascular disease. Your Body Mass Index (BMI) can help tell you if your weight is healthy.
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Just be sure to take an accurate measurement, which means knowing how to work the equipment. This should be done by someone who knows how to use a skinfold caliper, but you can easily learn on your own. You can get general readings on your own or through a dexa scan, but readings may be variable. You can often judge simply by looking at yourself, but this can lead to subjective bias and distortion. In the end, it is about feeling well and getting enough exercise and diet. Being overweight is typically because of poor diet, but it deserves to be considered it’s own beast.
8. Manage Diabetes
At least 68 percent of people under under 65 years of age with DM die of some form of HD; 16 percent die of stroke . Other risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, and lack of physical activity can greatly increase a person with diabetes’ chance of developing cardiovascular disease.
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The more you maintain a healthy diet and keep your weight down; however, the less you should worry about diabetes. Just be aware that type 1 typically shows up before the age of 18. It is just a matter of testing for it, which happens through yearly checkups. This means that if you notice a problem, it should be obvious, so be sure to let someone know. Type 2 typically occurs after years of insulin resistance, so there is plenty of time to correct it. You will generally feel better once you rid yourself of the resistance, but it can take some time.
Best Ways to Prevent Heart Attack
9. Reduce Stress
A few studies have noted a relationship between coronary heart disease risk and stress in a person’s life that may affect the risk factors for heart disease and stroke. For example, people under stress may overeat, start smoking, or smoke more than they otherwise would. Research has even shown that stress reaction in young adults predicts middle-age blood pressure risk. To reduce this risk, be sure to sleep well, manage your time, learn how to cope, exercise, and eat better. While it may sound like a lot, it really is not, and it’s well worth it. It should come naturally to most people, but do not wait too long.
10. Physical Injury
When you are injured, your body has to put a lot of effort into keeping your body in a state of homeostasis. The more you stress your body in negative ways, the more you end up causing stress for your heart. It can be a physical or psychological stressor that can further inhibit performance, leading to physical injury. This can end up causing you problems down the road. If you want to avoid this be sure to keep yourself safe. This means that you should follow the rest of the advice listed above and below.
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It does not take much to be cautious when doing just about anything. The last thing you need is for your heart to give out because your body came under too much stress. This can include anything too stressful or direct impact trauma (especially near the chest) forcing the blood vessels to wear out around the heart. Having this in mind be sure not to stress you body too much, and be sure to do things like exercise safely, because you can end up overworking your body.
Best Ways to Prevent Heart Attack
11. See a Doctor
Seeing a doctor is simply about making sure that you do not have any problems. If you feel as though something is wrong, you should talk with your doctor or specialist. It does not mean that minor problems should be overblown, but it is certainly something to consider. If you have a checkup, which you should have at least once a year, be sure to have them thoroughly check vitals. If you are struggling with a problem, be sure to make it clear during your visit. Ask your doctor questions, and be sure to do enough research for a conversation about it.
12. Take Supplements
There are plenty of great supplements on the market, but you have to know what you are looking for. It is always advised to do some research before getting into supplements, along with consulting with a doctor. Knowing your medical history is important, even though most supplements sold over-the-counter are harmless. If you do your research, this should not be a problem, as supplements can often make little difference in your overall health. They can make the difference though, and that’s where this is important.
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Be sure to keep up with your diet and exercise, because these will help prevent problems down the road. If you want to take a supplement, be it vitamin D, C, or E, or a proprietary supplement, do it with other healthy habits. You will get the most but realize the difference is subtle or placebo. If you avoid healthy habits, a supplement is a nice placeholder, but it will often be tarnished by a bad diet. Good supplements for the heart include omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, inositol, folate, grape seed extract, CoQ10, and vitamin D.
Best Ways to Prevent Heart Attack
13. Intermittent Fasting
While some may feel like hearing about fasting is tired and old, it still has it’s benefits that should not be ignored. Fasting, intermittent or prolonged, is great for just about any aspect of your health. It gives your body a chance to rest without having to digest. The more your body has a chance to avoid digesting food, the better you will be. It gives your body an opportunity to eat away at the damage done. Be it eating certain foods or participating in some other activity, your body experiences damage over time.
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A process called autophagy through fasting or exercise can help eradicate cellular damage. This damage can be the cause of heart problems or even cancer. The more you eat sugary foods, the more it clogs your arteries. If you avoid eating sugar and fast along with it, your body will have a chance to rid itself of these problems. It also gives your body a chance to lose weight, which can also help prevent complications. While this is just the tip of the iceberg, these are the main reasons why fasting is useful. It may seem difficult and harmful at first, but this is only because your body is not used to being clean.
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