Important Advice to Achieve a Healthy Heart

Each year millions of Americans die from heart related ailments so much so that it has already reached pandemic proportions. Poor lifestyle choices, food habits, smoking and stress all contribute to the development of heart disease. If you want to live longer check out some of the important advice below on how to achieve a healthy heart.

Go for 7 the lucky Number

According to Philips AED providers referencing a study on young and middle-aged adults that regularly slept 7 hours a night, had lesser calcium deposits in their arteries. Calcium deposits in the coronary arteries is an early sign of heart disease. Those that slept less than 5 hours or those who slept more than 9 hours had a greater chance of developing early stage heart problems. Moreover, the quality of sleep needs to be at par with the quantity. The same study also showed that adults that have good sleep quality had healthier coronary arteries compared to those that did not.

Maintain Normal Blood Pressure

Blood pressure measures the amount of pressure that is entering the blood vessels with each beat of the heart. Too high blood pressure creates additional force that tends to damage the walls of the arteries and creates tissue scarring.  This makes it more difficult for the heart to pump. If it does not the oxygen it needs, sections of it will deteriorate and die.

If you are not hypertensive, have your blood pressure checked every three to five years if you are in the ages of 18-39. For people 40 and above, yearly blood pressure checkups is mandatory.  Salt intake needs to be lessened drastically as well as alcohol consumption to no greater than one or two shots or glasses per day.

Get rid of the Saturated Fats

Saturated fats found mainly in meat and fat dairy products need to be lessened. Leaner cuts of meat and low fat alternatives are recommended. Trans fats need to be totally avoided as they only increase LDL or bad cholesterol in your system. According to automated external defibrillator experts, if it has been more than 5 years sine the last cholesterol checkup, it is time to have one immediately.