Every Heartbeat Matters

A healthy lifestyle is the key to a healthy heart

Congenital heart diseases, as such, are few. Most diseases are developed gradually over the years as a result of stress and other lifestyle-related issues. Thus, it is relatively easy to prevent these diseases through lifestyle changes and stress management.

Stress, bad eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle contribute to impaired fat metabolism. The food we take is high in saturated fats. This includes white bread, pastries, red meat, frozen food and the so-called fast food. Mayonnaise, margarine, lard, etcetera, are added for taste and flavour. Digestion of this food is difficult and the fat is not metabolised. This fat tends to clog the blood vessels, thus narrowing its lumen and obstructing the blood flow. The flow of both impure as well as pure blood is affected, leading to lowered blood oxygen concentration and reduced blood supply to muscles and organs, including the heart muscles and the brain. The body initially tries to compensate for the reduced supply, but over a period of time the functions are affected. Sometimes, a part of the heart's muscles stop working (as in myocardial infarction) causing severe pain, breathlessness and exhaustion. The blockages in the blood vessels could be complete and this could turn fatal. Genetics plays a strong role in the occurrence of heart diseases, but the risk rises with stress and an unfavourable lifestyle.

A proper combination of rest, relaxation, exercise, diet and healthy habits ensure a sound heart. Stress does a lot of damage to the body's organs. Cardiac muscle activity gets sluggish with stress. There is less oxygen supplied as a result of the shallow breathing caused by stress. High blood pressure and elevated blood sugar levels caused by stress, in turn, reduces cardiac function. It is therefore important to prevent and manage stress. Simple steps, like eight hours of sleep, practising relaxation techniques like yoga nidra and shavasana, meditation, breath awareness, pranayama and breathing exercises, reading good books, listening to music and changing one’s attitude to stress will go a long way in curbing heart conditions.

Regular exercising like walking, yoga, swimming, jogging and playing outdoor games improves cardiac output and blood circulation. These activities improve metabolism, help dissolve accumulated fat and improve oxygenation. These are also great stress-busters as they aid the release of endorphins and serotonin. Regular exercise, for 45 minutes to an hour at least five days a week, is recommended.

Diet plays a very important role too. We have already mentioned the role of saturated fats in causing heart diseases. The fat deposited on the walls of blood vessels is called an atheroma or atheromatous plaque. When stuck to the arterial wall, this fat causes a narrowing of the arteries—and sometimes this plaque could get inflamed and disintegrate too, causing embolism. This does not mean that fat should be completely eliminated from the diet, just that the sources of fat should be healthy. Unsaturated fat could be consumed through lean meat, vegetable oils and whole milk. The HDL, or the high- density lipoprotein, should be increased through consumption of oily seeds and nuts, fish such as tuna, mackerel, sardine, herring and salmon. LDL (low-density lipoprotein) should be reduced by eliminating red meat, margarine, mayonnaise and hydrogenated oils. One should also inculcate healthy cooking methods like steaming, grilling, baking and stir-frying, apart from consuming whole grains with fibre. The liquid intake should also be adequate. Eight to ten glasses of water with thin soups, buttermilk, vegetable and fruit juices, and tender coconut water are recommended. The food we consume should be low on sodium and spices.

Timely meals are to be taken. A minimum gap of two hours should be maintained between dinner and sleep. It is better to restrict the intake of coffee and tea; but green or herbal teas with tulsi or mint are advisable. One should abstain from habits such as consuming alcohol and smoking. These are seen to increase the risk of plaque formation and the narrowing of blood vessels.

Prevention is certainly better than cure. Why not practice a healthy lifestyle if it could prevent an illness that could handicap your life?

About The Author

Dr Issac Mathai