80% of heart disease is preventable yet it causes a quarter of all deaths in Australia. Risk factors include family history, diabetes, smoking, alcohol consumption, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and stress.
10 ways to reduce your risk of heart disease include:
- Avoid high blood pressures, which includes keeping a low salt diet
- Reduce saturated fats and processed meats e.g. bacon
- Instead, eat Omega-3 fats from fish & a Mediterranean diet
- Eat nitrate rich vegetables, such as kale, rocket & spinach (a Danish study showed 26% lower heart disease risk with green leafy veges)
- Meditation to reduce stress – 5 years of meditation halves your heart attack risk
- Yoga – twice a week reduces your risk of palpitations, and calms the heart if you do get palpitations
- Exercise at least 2.5 hours a week – 50% lower heart attack risk
- Stop smoking or vaping – nicotine increases heart rate and blood pressure
- Keep below 10 standard drinks a week (to avoid damaging heart muscle, and to reduce blood pressure)
- Reduce weight, especially if around the middle
Osana conducts a healthy heart check on all adults – book in for one as part of your membership.
References:
- https://www.heart.org/en/get-involved/advocate/federal-priorities/cdc-prevention-programs
- https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/heart-stroke-vascular-diseases/hsvd-facts/contents/about
- https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/the-times/health-and-fitness-the-13-rules-for-a-healthy-heart/news-story/52458982fbcbc73177b60ed087f1bde5