If you don’t think you can develop a heart disease, then you’ll sure be in for a rude awakening. In fact, heart disease kills far more women annually than cancer does. On the upside, it’s also true that preventing the onset of heart problems gets easier over time. Some of the latest tips and tricks for battling the development of heart diseases are listed below, and reading through them now might just save you from a lot of heart troubles in the future.
1.Get milk.
A recent study sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute have established that amongst people who do not consume a lot of saturated fats, those who eat more than three servings of yougurt, milk or cheese on a daily basis had a systolic BP (the top number) that’s almost four points lower than those people who only consume half a serving of the said foods daily. A massive increase in one’s blood pressure can damage the arteries which ups your risk for stroke and heart attacks. Researchers have concluded that ingesting low-fat dairy is a great choice because of its lower saturated fat content.
2. Try new moves.
Did you know that doing tai-chi for thirty minutes can help reduce your blood pressure? For those not in the know, tai chi is a form of Chinese martial arts which includes a series of slow, yet relaxing movements. In a study conducted to check the effectivity of tai chi as a blood pressure reducing activity, it was found out that participants successfully displayed a significant decrease in their systolic blood pressure (almost 16 points lower) after subjecting themselves to 12 weeks of tai chi exercises.
3. Go fish.
How fast or slow your heart beats when you are at rest is an indicator of heart attack risk. In fact, the higher your resting heart rates are, the more prone you are to having sudden heart problems. But the good news is, eating fish on a regular basis can help lower your resting heart rates. Researchers have credited the omega-3 fatty acids content of fish in helping reduce the resting heart rates of people who consume this particular sea food.
4. Go loco on juice.
Pomegranate juice seems to be a very good ally when it comes to combating any occurrences of arterial hardening—it could even help in reversing it. A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences have shown that use of pomegranate juice have reduced the rate of plaque build-up in mice, the experiment’s subject at the time, by at least 30%. The heart cells that have been treated with juice exhibited a 50% increase in its nitric oxide production—a substance that helps
fight off plaque build-up.
5. Use your soy
A daily dose of dark soy sauce (not the light varieties) in your dipping sauces, marinades, salad dressings, soups, or stews can help stave-off the development of heart-damaging substances that are linked to obesity, excessive smoking, and diabetes. According to science, soy sauce contains 10 times more
antioxidants than what’s found in wine which is also heart-hearty of taken in moderation. Note though that soy sauce can contain a lot of salt, something that can increase the blood pressure. It is therefore wise to check the labels and look for lower-salt versions.
6. Laugh a lot.
It is proven that people who laugh a lot have better blood circulation than those who don’t. Based on the studies conducted by the University Of Maryland School Of Medicine in Baltimore, it is
recommended to have at least 15 minutes of laughter each day to keep the heart happy and healthy.
7. Don’t skip sleep
Women who sleep less (5 hours and below) each night
are more predisposed to developing heart ailments compared to those who are getting at least 8 hours of snooze time every day, this according to a study conducted by the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA. Too little sleep can create an imbalance in your hormones, blood sugar levels, as well as your blood pressure.
8. Practice deep breathing.
Did you know that you can lower your BP by just doing 10 breaths per minute (as opposed to the usual 16 to 19 breaths per minute) for about 15 minutes each day for 2 months? Experts from the National Institute of Aging said that shallow breathing (more breaths in a span of a minute) may derail your
body’s excretion of salt which is a known trigger for high blood pressure.
