Preventing Heart Attack.

Knowing ways to prevent a heart attack will help you prevent a heart attack. The last thing anybody would want is that pain in the chest.

Preventing a heart attack involves three factors:

1.     A disciplined lifestyle to prevent heart attack,

2.     A disciplined diet to prevent heart attack, and

3.     Proper treatment of any  underlying  health ailment which can cause a heart attack.

Following these three principles will help you prevent heart disease and keep your heart healthy.

1) Disciplined Lifestyle Habits to prevent heart attack.

• Avoid smoking or use of tobacco products as the nicotine and other chemicals in tobacco cause hardening and narrowing of the blood vessels. Secondly, the carbon monoxide in the cigarette smoke gets mixed in the blood. These factors cause the heart to pump harder and faster in order that the body tissues get sufficient blood and oxygen. This leads to high blood pressure, which can cause a heart attack.
• Alcohol, if at all, should be taken in moderation. Men should not exceed two pegs and women should not exceed one peg. ( 1 peg = 60ml). It would be best to avoid it altogether as there is a tendency to go beyond the prescribed limits. Alcohol increases the triglyceride levels in the blood  which are strong predisposing factors to a heart attack.
• Maintaining weight is important. Excess weight or obesity indicates excess fats in the body. Obesity is a strong predisposing factor to diabetes, hypertension, and increased blood cholesterol levels.  All three are high risk factors to a attack. It is necessary to lose weight if you are carrying any excess of it.
• Regular medical check ups to detect any beginnings or presence of any underlying disease. This will helping in finding and nipping in the bud any disease before it can cause any complications. For example, diabetes, or hypertension or high blood cholesterollevels, if detected, can be controlled in initial stages and their complications like a heart attack can be averted.

2)     Diet to prevent heart attack.

This is a diet for heart attack which keeps the heart attack risk factors away. Read our “ High Risk Factors of Heart Attack” to know the risks. Such a diet has been designed and it is called a “Dash diet”–   Dash meaning “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension”. Dash Diet advocates the use of

• low fat dairy products such as skimmed milk and low fat yogurt and low fat cheese
• Whole grains and cereals.
• High fiber leafy vegetables such as cabbage, spinach and fruits.
• Legumes such as beans, peas, and lentils and nuts.
• Restricted use of foods containing saturated fats like tard, butter, coconut oils, palm oil, cotton seed oil and ghee.
• Foods should contain mono and polyunsaturated fats like olive oil, canola oil and seeds.
• White meat instead of red meat like chicken and fish without skin.
• Low calorie and low sugar foods are advocated.
• Brown rice instead of white rice.

Food pyramid of diet to prevent heart attack.

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3) Treatment of any underlying diseases.

Diabetes, hypertension andhigh blood cholesterol should be regularly monitored and treatment should be religiously taken. Regular follow ups to your Physician should carried be out as  and when required. This will go a long way to prevent a heart attack.

Related posts:

1. Heart Attack|Myocardial Infarction.
2. Symptoms of a Heart Attack.
3. What Causes a Heart Attack.
4. Risk factors contributing to a Heart Attack.
5. Life after a Heart Attack.
6. Complications of Heart Attack.
7. Treatment of Heart Attack.
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