Your heart is keeping you alive. It pumps oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to every corner of your body via the arteries. It sends deoxygenated blood back to the lungs via the veins to begin the process with each heartbeat. Having a healthy heart determines how long and how well you live.
Heart disease is an umbrella term that refers to any condition that affects the heart. Although there are many types of heart diseases, some of which are congenital (present at birth) and others genetic (inherited risk), most coronary diseases result from lifestyle factors and are preventable. Even if your past was less than perfect, adopting positive lifestyle changes plays a vital role in strengthening the heart muscle and potentially prolonging your life.
Five most common preventable heart diseases
Coronary Artery Disease
This is caused by a buildup of plaque in the arteries (known as atherosclerosis) that causes hardening and narrowing in the artery forcing the heart to work harder to get blood to where it needs to go.mMyocardial Infarction
Also known as a heart attack, this occurs when there is an interruption of blood flow to the heart, commonly caused by plaque buildup, a blood clot, or both, that can damage and destroy parts of the heart muscle.
Arrhythmia
An irregular heartbeat occurs when the electrical impulses that coordinate the heart functions do not work correctly. The heart may beat too fast (Tachycardia), too slow (Bradycardia), or erratically (Atrial Fibrillation).
Cardiomyopathy
The heart has an abnormality in the muscle. It could become stretched and thin (Dilated Cardiomyopathy), thickened in a way that hinders it from relaxing (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy), or replaced with scar tissue (Restrictive Cardiomyopathy). This can cause blood clots in the heart and heart failure.
Heart failure
When the heart isn’t as well-functioning as it ought to be, it cannot keep up with its workload of either pumping blood into the lungs to be oxygenated or distributing adequate blood throughout the body’s cells. Heart failure happens gradually due to high blood pressure or when the heart becomes too weak or stiff.
Heart disease symptoms to look out for
Heart diseases have a variety of symptoms, and some may present none at all. Classic symptoms include chest pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, feelings of indigestion or gas, sweating, numbness or tingling of the limbs, nausea, neck and back pain, and bloating.
Symptoms may also vary between males and females. Studies show that women may have more atypical symptoms and are prone to experiencing anxiety, sleep disruptions, unexplained fatigue, fainting, and dizziness, to name a few.
The causes of heart disease
Heart disease develops when damage to the heart occurs, reducing the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the heart. The Framingham Heart Study, an epidemiological study that follows a group of individuals over time and explores the development and characteristics of heart disease, identified several risk factors and lifestyle choices that increase its chances. These include:
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Physical inactivity
- Unhealthy diet
- Smoking
- High stress and anxiety levels
- Excessive alcohol or caffeine consumption
- Substance abuse
How to reduce heart disease risk
Where treatment used to only come into effect after heart disease has affected the health, for example, when a heart attack occurs, there is now a strong emphasis on prevention to mitigate existing risk factors. The logic is simple:
If you are smoking or using tobacco, stop. Cigarette smoke reduces oxygen levels in your blood, increasing your blood pressure and causing the heart to work harder to supply oxygen throughout your body.
If you are a couch potato, get up and take a 20- to 30-minute walk daily. Physical activity is a panacea that can control weight, manage blood sugar levels, and improve blood pressure. Even short bouts of activity such as gardening, taking the stairs, taking the kids to the park, and walking the dog can strengthen the heart muscles and help it to pump blood to every cell in the body more effectively.
If you are consuming a diet high in salt, sugar, and saturated fats, incorporate more heart-healthy options such as leafy vegetables, legumes and beans, lean meat, whole grains, and healthy fats like avocado and olive oil can protect the heart and manage cholesterol.
If you have poor sleeping habits, make sleep a priority. People who do not get enough sleep increase their risk of being overweight, along with all the complications that arise from carrying extra weight, which weakens the body and its functions.
If you have been taking health screenings lightly, schedule one as soon as possible. Regular testing can identify underlying health conditions such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and Type-2 Diabetes that lead to heart disease and stroke.
It used to be that lifestyle changes only came after a drastic health event, but as the saying goes, “prevention is better than cure.” While it may seem trite, daunting, or even troublesome to make better choices in your daily life, lifestyle modifications are the best way to control your personal health risks. It can also prevent existing conditions from exacerbating and alleviate symptoms impeding your daily choices and functions.
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