Every year on November 19, the world celebrates International Men’s Day to raise awareness about men’s health and well-being. Experts share some essential tips for men to maintain heart health as they age.
Heart disease is increasing worldwide. A recent incident in which a man in his 30s and 40s died of a heart attack should highlight the importance of maintaining a healthy heart. You also need to avoid overdoing it or overdoing it. Also, among the most important factors in heart attack prevention are checking your risk factor profile, monitoring your blood pressure and blood sugar levels, quitting smoking, managing your cholesterol properly, and maintaining overall health. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Rohit Shelatkar, VP of Viatbiotics, fitness and nutrition expert shares tips for men to keep their hearts healthy.
5 tips for men to keep their hearts healthy as they age:
1. Monitor blood sugar and blood pressure: High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects about 1 in 4 men in their 20s. By age 75, about 75% of men have high blood pressure. But high readings are easy to ignore, especially since high blood pressure usually causes no symptoms. It can cause blood sugar spikes in both men and women. Being overweight is a major risk factor for hyperglycemia and should be monitored regularly to avoid serious illness. In addition, tests for cholesterol and prostate cancer should be done to ensure timely help is provided.
2. Quit smoking and drinking: Smoking damages the heart by inflaming and damaging the heart’s arteries and other blood vessels. It also increases the risk of blood clots in the heart and other organs. Quitting alcohol is important, and if that doesn’t work, limit your intake to one glass per week.
3. Reduce stress levels: Stress is a part of everyday life for many of us. However, prolonged stress can raise blood pressure. It can lead to unhealthy lifestyle habits such as stress eating. And some studies suggest that men who manage stress with hostility have an especially high risk of heart disease. Stress is not easy to deal with but ignoring it can be harmful. If you feel stressed, you should seek professional help.
4. Maintain a healthy weight: Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is one of the best things you can do for your heart. It may seem obvious, but a diet focused on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins and fats is an easy change to make to protect your heart. Replacing saturated fats and processed foods with unsaturated fats like olive oil is also better for you.
5. Sleep well: Sleep is your body’s time to heal, recharge and restore. A good night’s rest doesn’t necessarily lead to weight loss, but it can prevent you from adding unwanted pounds. Additionally, a good 7-9 hours of sleep makes us feel bright and optimistic with more energy and drive. Poor sleep quality is linked to heart health problems, from high blood pressure to heart attacks. Not getting enough sleep can increase stress hormones like cortisol. An increase in stress hormones forces our ticker to respond by working harder, and not getting the rest it needs, leading to weight gain and other problems.
