Over the past century, the world has made remarkable steps in prevention and pharmaceutical treatment of infectious diseases. However, heart and terminal illness has remained the leading cause of death in both genders in America.
Luckily, healthy heart and internal illness stemming from lifestyle behaviors is preventable since their control is within your hands.
Particular risk factors like age and family history or heart health cannot be changed. But you can reduce hereditary risks and limit other factors related to terminal illness and heart health by choosing the right lifestyle practices.
This post outlines best lifestyle practices to keep you safe from heart and terminal illness. What's more, every step you take with these practices boost your overall health.
Let's find out.
- Get moving.
Though it is always good to spend some time relaxing once in a while, spend too much time seated is among the major risk factors for heart disease. According to Harvard study, spending two hours watching TV daily increases the risk of cardiovascular problems by 15%.
Therefore, the first step to having a healthy heart and avoiding terminal illness is to spare some time for physical activity each day. The American Heart Association recommends that an average adult person should spend at least 30 minutes daily of active physical exercise.
Also, regular exercise enhances weight loss which is very important because obesity is a risk factor for heart disease. Additionally, it reduces high blood pressure and boosts blood circulation, benefiting your heart and general body health.
- Drop the smoking habit.
Smoking cigarette is related to several fatal health complications, including heart diseases and terminal illnesses like cancer and lung diseases. Smoking increases the risk of heart disease by up to four times even if you have no other risk factors, according to CDC.
Smoking leads to hardened arteries and plaque buildup, all of which are the causes of cardiac arrest. Therefore, if you smoke, devise a way of stopping, either through counseling or smoking cessation aids.
Most smokers need several attempts to stop smoking completely. So, if you have tried before and failed, try again. Quitting smoking allows parts of your body to start recovering if you have an existing health problem. It also reduces the stress on the lungs and heart.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
Having too much weight or being obese and having anorexia increases the risk of heart-related problems. Heart attacks are the main cause of death to people suffering from anorexia-a condition of being extremely underweight.
Poor healthy weights like anorexia and obesity lead to complications such as low blood pressure, dangerous heart rhythms, and electrolyte imbalance. Obese people also have other health conditions related to idleness, like diabetes and high cholesterol levels.
Keeping a healthy weight is vital in protecting your heart from fatigue or damage. A healthy weight range allows efficient blood circulation and management of body fluid, alleviating strains from the heart.
- Learn positive stress management skills.
Too much stress leads to much strain on the heart, creating high chances of cardiovascular diseases. It also precipitates poor health life in victims diagnosed with an internal illness.
As a quick way of reducing stress, doctors recommend exercise and taking vitamins and supplements for persons having less to moderate stress. Physical exercises help the body produce endorphins- the happy hormones that make people feel better physically and mentally.
In addition, practicing meditation or spiritual development can help in controlling stress. According to AHA, People who meditate have 50% fewer rates of heart attack, stroke or even death compared to those who don't meditate.
Stress management after diagnosis with a terminal illness is also important to help you stay positive and make rational decisions on how to live your remaining time.
- Manage your life and avoid exposure to other health problems.
Whether you have a heart problem or a terminal illness which is life-limiting, how you choose to live your life is solely on you. Maintain a natural, healthy, and balanced diet. Avoid food that have high saturated fats, like processed meat, cookies, etc.
These fats raise bad cholesterol levels leading to plaque buildup in the arteries. This causes blockage leading to a heart attack.
Whether you have a heart-related problem or a terminal illness, it is recommended you steer clear from exposure to risky practices like unsafe sexual encounters or fights. This will prevent picking up other infections like sexually transmitted diseases that do not show symptoms and damages that can further complicate your health.
Conclusion.
It does not matter the extent and nature of your terminal illness or the current state of your heart health, you can start your journey to healthy living despite your health conditions. Reach out to a friend and begin the daily walks together, check your weight regularly, and manage stress positively.
Additionally, always strive to maintain a healthy weight, eat a natural, healthy and balanced diet, and avoid exposure to potential risk factors which can complicate your conditions.
Implementing the steps outlined here keeps you healthy despite having heart and terminal diseases. They also boost your general health, giving you easy time managing your condition.
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