“It is health that is real wealth, and not pieces of gold and silver”
-Mahatma Gandi
With those words, we need to pause. Think. Dive deep.
What have we done to maintain a healthy life? Do you workout? Do you smoke? Do you keep a healthy balanced diet?
The answer is all of the above, and maybe some more.
A healthy life starts with the core, and yes that is your heart. Your heart is your engine, your motor, your pistons to keep you moving and get going. Remember Tony Stark? The guy had to replace his heart with a mechanical one. Why? Because it is the core of all body functions, having said that, let us have a look at the HEART.
How does it work
The heart is a muscular organ about the size of a fist, located just behind and slightly left of the breastbone.
The heart pumps blood throughout the network of arteries and veins called the cardiovascular system.
The heart has four chambers:
• The right atrium.
• The right ventricle.
• The left atrium.
• The left ventricle (the strongest chamber)
The coronary arteries run along the surface of the heart and provide oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle.
Equilibrium
The heart has many functions that keep the body functions in Equilibrium such as:
• Pumping oxygen-rich blood into all body parts.
• Pumping hormones and other vital substances throughout the body.
• Receiving deoxygenated blood and carrying metabolic waste products from the body and pumping it to the lungs for oxygenation.
• Maintaining blood pressure.
Attention to detail
I like calling these tips, The Rule of 10, 10 steps to have a better cardiac condition and consequently better health.
- Give up smoking
If you’re a smoker, quit. It’s the single best thing you can do for your heart health.
Smoking is one of the main causes of coronary heart disease. A year after giving up, your risk of a heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker. - Get active
Getting – and staying – active can reduce your risk of developing heart disease. It can also be a great mood booster and stress buster.
Do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week. One way to achieve this target is by doing 30 minutes of activity, 5 days a week. Fit it in where you can, such as by cycling to work. - 3. Manage your weight
Being overweight can increase your risk of heart disease. Stick to a healthy, balanced diet low in fat and sugar, with plenty of fruit and vegetables, combined with regular physical activity. - Eat more fiber
Eat plenty of fiber to help lower your risk of heart disease – aim for at least 30g a day. Eat from a variety of sources, such as whole meal bread, bran, oats, wholegrain cereals, potatoes with their skins on, and plenty of fruit and veggies. - Cut down on saturated fat
Eating too many foods that are high in saturated fat can raise the level of cholesterol in your blood. This increases your risk of heart disease.
Choose leaner cuts of meat and lower-fat dairy products like 1% fat milk over full-fat (or whole) milk. - Get your 5 A Day
Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruits and vegetables a day. They’re a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
There are lots of tasty ways to get your 5 A Day, like adding chopped fruit to cereal or including vegetables in your pasta sauces and curries. - Cut down on salt
To maintain healthy blood pressure, avoid using salt at the table and try adding less to your cooking.
Once you get used to the taste of food without added salt, you can cut it out completely.
Watch out for high salt levels in ready-made foods. Most of the salt we eat is already in the foods we buy.
Check the food labels – a food is high in salt if it has more than 1.5g salt (or 0.6g sodium) per 100g.
Adults should eat less than 6g of salt a day in total – that’s about 1 teaspoon. - Eat fish
Eat fish at least twice a week, including a portion of oily fish. Fish such as pilchards, sardines, and salmon are a source of Omega-3 fats, which may help protect against heart disease.
Pregnant or breastfeeding women should not have more than 2 portions of oily fish a week. - Drink less alcohol
Do not forget that alcohol contains calories. Try to keep to the recommended daily alcohol limits to reduce the risk of serious problems with your health, including risks to your heart health. - Read the food label
When shopping, it’s a good idea to look at the labels on food and drink packaging.
Raw Health
Keeping an eye on what you eat is key. You can workout all you want, but monitoring your nutrition and being conscious of what you ingest is 80% of all the work – whether you’re doing it for a lifestyle improvement, as a professional athlete, or for general health!
So, to sum it up, what this Doc Says:
- Fish: Highs in Omega-3, such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, and trout.
- Nuts: A handful of healthy nuts such as almonds or walnuts will satisfy your hunger and help your heart.
- Berries: Chock full of heart-healthy phytonutrients and soluble fiber. Try blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, or raspberries in cereal or yogurt.
- Seeds: Flaxseeds contain Omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and phytoestrogens to boost heart health. Take them in ground or milled form to reap the greatest benefit. Chia seeds also provide Omega-3, fiber, and protein; and can be eaten whole.
- Oats: The comfort-food nutrient powerhouse. Try toasting oats to top yogurt, and salads or to add into a trail mix if you are not a fan of them cooked.
- Legumes, dried beans, and lentils: are high in fiber, B vitamins, minerals, and other good stuff.
- Red wine: (up to two for men and one for women per day) can help improve good (HDL) cholesterol levels.
- Soy: Add edamame beans or marinated tofu in a stir-fry with fresh veggies for a heart-healthy lunch or dinner.
- Red, yellow, and orange veggies: such as carrots, sweet potatoes, red peppers, tomatoes, and acorn squash are packed with carotenoids, fiber, and vitamins to help your heart.
- Green veggies: such as spinach, kale, Swiss chard, collard/mustard greens, and bok choy. Use these sandwiches and salads instead of lettuce. Broccoli and asparagus are filled with mighty nutrients such as Vitamin C and E, potassium, folate, calcium, and fiber.
- Fruits: such as oranges, cantaloupes, and papaya are rich in beta-carotene, potassium, magnesium, and fiber.
- Dark chocolate: The higher the percentage of cocoa the better! (The fiber and protein increase with higher cocoa and the sugar decreases). If you are a fan of milk chocolate, start with at least 70% cocoa.
Check it
Most people, especially the younger population, get lazy checking their heart condition or blood pressure. Well, you need to! Especially if you have a known family history of heart disease.
Don’t panic! Just be mindful that you need to regularly check your blood pressure and do lab work. It is the metric that tells you whether your plan is working or not.
Why do I need to measure my blood pressure?
Measuring your blood pressure is the only way to know whether you have high blood pressure. High blood pressure usually has no warning signs or symptoms, and many people do not know they have it.
To sum it up, we need to be mindful of our nutrition, check our blood pressure regularly, and get active to lead a healthy life with a healthy heart!
Dr. Bassem Al Sharkawi – A valuable member of the CWPT community