Healthy Heart tips

If you are above 50, You really need to care about your heart. The leading cause of death of seniors is heart disease so aware them for heart problems.
Heart disease is a wide range of diseases that affect heart, and in some cases, blood vessels. Generally, the conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina) or stroke is known as Heart disease. For seniors, Heart disease is the leading cause of death. In U.S. heart disease is a killer and cause of disabilities. Heart disease is found in different forms such as Coronary heart disease, Cardiomyopathy, Cardiovascular disease and Ischaemic heart disease like Heart failure, Hypertensive heart disease, inflammatory heart disease, and Valvular heart disease.

Main symptoms and warning signs of heart attack:

Chest pain

• Tightness, discomfort or crushing
• Fullness or burning
• Heaviness, pressure or squeezing

Pain from the centre of the chest spreading

• Up to neck, jaw, shoulder or back
• Down one or both arms

Other signs

• Anxiety or fear
• Shortness of breath
• Denial, refusing to admit that anything is wrong
• Paleness, sweating or weakness
• Nausea, vomiting and/or indigestion

Warning signs in women
Women have less obvious symptoms such as indigestion like discomfort, vague chest pressure or discomfort, nausea or back pain. It is crucial for women and their doctors not to ignore those easy-to-miss symptoms.
Tips for a Healthy Heart

There are many ways to prevent heart problems, which can concentrate on key lifestyle areas. Some tips for a healthy heart are as follows:

• Do not smoke, and avoid used smoke: The risk of heart attacks and heart failure are markedly increased by smoking. Your cardiovascular risk is rapidly reduced by giving up smoking.
• Exercise: To do exercise for 30 to 60 minutes everyday is new recommendation. With the help of Exercise, you can maintain a healthy weight and keep your heart strong and disease free.
• Maintain a healthy weight: The risk of heart attacks, heart failure and diabetes have been increased due to Obesity. The best way to maintain a normal weight is a healthy diet and exercise program.
• Get your cholesterol levels checked: High cholesterol does not originate any symptoms until it is too late. Therefore, you have to know about your healthy cholesterol level so go for check up as soon as possible.
• Take your medications as recommended by your physician: Without discussing with physicians, many patients stop taking their prescribed medications. Studies show that risk for heart attacks, strokes, heart failure become much higher for those who stop their cardiovascular medications and their survival will be reduced compared to those who adhere to their medical regimen.
• Maintain a healthy cholesterol level: If your LDL (“bad” cholesterol) is less than 100 then it is the ideal level. Convinced persons need to attain even lower LDL cholesterol levels. It is important to keep your HDL (“good” cholesterol) levels up. Know your lipid levels and converse to your doctor about the best plan of action to keep your cholesterol levels perfect.
• Get your blood pressure checked: Many patients with hypertension are not conscious that they have this circumstance. There are very well abided and effectual treatments for high blood pressure.
• Maintain a normal blood pressure: High blood pressure is a main risk factor for heart attacks, strokes and heart failure. Your systolic blood pressure should be below 140 and your diastolic blood pressure below 90. Convinced persons need to attain even tighter manage of their blood pressure.
• See your doctor: The best ways to keep your heart healthy and avoid problems down the road are, follow the medicines and do exercises suggested by your doctor.
• Take omega-3 fatty acids: Studies show that risk of heart disease become lower by getting one gram a day of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet or taking supplements such as fish oil capsules.

Healthy Heart Exercises for seniors:

To stay healthy and independent, National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommend four types of exercises for seniors, which are as follows:

• Strength exercises: strength exercises will help to build older adult muscles and increase metabolism in your body that helps to maintain the level of your weight and blood sugar.
• Balance exercises prevent falls by building leg muscles. Every year, U.S. hospitals have 300,000 admissions for broken hips, many of them seniors and falling is often the cause of those fractures, according to the NIH. Balance exercises will help an older adult by avoiding problems as they get older and stay independent by avoiding the disabilities that could result from falling.
• Stretching exercises can give more freedom of movement to be more active during your senior years. Your endurance or strength will not be improved by alone Stretching exercises.
• Endurance exercises are any movement such as walking, swimming, jogging, biking, even raking leaves, which increase your heart rate and breathing for a lengthened period. Start with as little as 5 minutes of endurance activities at a time and build up your endurance steadily.

Healthy Heart diet for seniors:

Diet plays main role to keep healthy you and your heart so always take healthy diet and avoid problem down the road. So for your dieting, consult your Doctor and follow-eating plan, which fulfill your dietary needs.

• Beware of chemicals in your food like caffeine, MSG, and other food additives.
• Total fat intake should be less than 30 percent of total calories daily.
• Saturated fatty acid intake should be less than 10 percent of total calories daily.
• Sodium intake should be no more than 3000 milligrams per day.
• Polyunsaturated fatty acid intake should be no more that 10 percent of total calories daily.
• Monounsaturated fatty acids make up the rest of total fat intake, about 10 to 15 percent of total calories daily.
• Cholesterol intake should be no more than 300 milligrams per day.

Healthy Heart Diet chart:

Eat More	Eat Less
Healthy Fats (raw nuts, olive oil, fish oils, flax seeds, avocados)	Damaged fats (trans fats from partially hydrogenated foods, deep fried foods); saturated fats (whole-fat dairy; red meat).
Colorful, nutrient-loaded fruits and vegetables	Processed food (foods that come in a package); foods high in sodium
Fiber rich foods (whole grains and legumes)	Refined carbohydrates (white starches).
Fish (especially wild salmon, whitefish, tilapia, catfish, flounder, and mahi mahi)	Red meat
Water	Fruit juices, soda