5 tips from a cardiologist for better heart health
Heart health is a serious topic and it’s important to remember that the more information we have at our disposal, the better equipped we are to ensure we’re looking after our hearts in the best way possible. Leading Australian cardiologist Dr Ross Walker believes that maintaining optimum heart health comes down to more than just prescription medication- a holistic approach is best. Read on for his top five heart health boxes you should be checking, to keep your ticker in top shape.
1. Be aware
This isn’t the same as ‘beware’- you need to be aware of your heart and your predisposition to heart disease. Are you a smoker? Do you have a family history of cardiovascular disease? Are you overweight? When was the last time you visited a doctor for a heart check-up? These are all questions you need to be asking yourself, so that you can not only be aware of your heart health, but also determine the areas you can work on to prevent disease later down the track. If you’re unsure of how your heart is faring, visit your doctor- you should be booking in for yearly heart check-ups regardless, as they say: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
2. Consider Ubiquinol
If you have a predisposition to heart disease, or you are taking statin medication for high LDL cholesterol levels, then you’ve probably heard about Coenzyme Q10 (or CoQ10), a naturally occurring anti-oxidant in your body, from your doctor. But you may not have heard of Ubiquinol, the bioavailable (more easily absorbed) form of CoQ10, responsible for providing your cells with energy. Ubiquinol was been shown in a study published in the American Journal of Cardiology to reduce symptoms of chronic heart failure by 43 per cent, and has also been shown to assist in maintaining healthy levels of LDL cholesterol. As we age, our natural Ubiquinol levels deplete. If you’re feeling low in energy or want to give your heart some extra support, the benefits of Ubiquinol are plentiful. Always ensure that you seek out Ubiquinol as opposed to Ubiquinone- Ubiquinol is absorbed 5-8 times more readily by the body, as opposed to Ubiquinone, which the body first needs to be converted into Ubiquinol in order to reap the benefits.
3. Achieve and maintain a healthy weight
The harsh reality is that being overweight can dramatically increase your chances of developing heart disease. However, it’s never too late to improve diet and exercise routine. Don’t focus on the number on the scales – what can be a healthy weight for one person can be unhealthy for another. Instead, visit your doctor for some basic measurements, including a waist circumference measurement and a BMI test. This can give you a better idea of where you sit in terms of your weight and overall health. Forget fad diets and cutting out food groups- consult a nutritionist and learn about making simple swaps to health, unprocessed foods. Taking control of your weight will do wonders for not only your heart but your overall health.
4. Get physical
You’re probably starting to get the idea that good heart health actually comes down, in many cases, to your lifestyle choices – setting yourself up for a healthy future can prevent serious health issues as the years go by. Exercise has incredible benefits not only for your weight and mental health, but specifically for your heart – it can actually lower blood pressure and strengthen your heart, as you slowly increase your cardiovascular endurance. You don’t need to be running a marathon every day. Find something you enjoy, whether it be power-walking, swimming or even dancing, and just aim to move for 30 minutes a day.
5. Look after emotional health
Many people write off the effects that stress and anxiety can have on our health, but your emotional health should, in fact, be taken seriously. It’s not necessarily an issue of how stressed you are, but how you’re dealing with it. If you’re not expressing your feelings and coming to terms with your stress, the emotional toll can wreak havoc on your body and leave you feeling worse for wear. Stress can actually trigger the release of particular hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which can impact your blood pressure and heart rate. Health is both a mental and physical journey, and the two need to coexist if you want to take care of your body.
If you’re unsure about whether your heart is in good nick, how you can improve your heart health or simply where to start on a journey to overall health and wellbeing, the best place to start is by visiting a health professional like your GP, who can point you in the right direction and assess where you’re at, health wise.
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