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You want a healthy heart? Do these 5 things

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The heart is one of the most powerful organs in the body and it deserves the a lot of attention.

Neglecting that power house of the body has led to dire consequences for many.  Different parts of the heart are prone to different diseases is not properly cared for. for example if the arteries of the heart are affected, it is known as coronary artery disease. If other arteries, especially those in the legs are affected, it is called peripheral arterial disease. Atherosclerosis happens over a period of time and its consequences can be grave and include heart attack and stroke. Cardiomyopathy refers to diseases of the heart muscle.

Many people have died as a result off conditions related to heart troubles and some of these may have been prevented.

Here are five ways to keep the heart healthy and keep the diseases at bay.

1. Exercise
Regular exercise can strengthen your heart, increase the “good” cholesterol that helps keep your arteries clear, lower your blood pressure, burn off extra weight, and make you feel good. You don’t have to do heavy lifting or vigorous ones for too long. Experts recommend at least 30 minutes of moderately vigorous exercise most days of the week. Of course, exercise can be risky for some people with heart disease. Check with your doctor before starting a new workout program, and work up gradually. Don’t try to do everything in one weekend. It may lead to disaster.

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2. Watch what you eat
For most people, the battle against heart disease should start in the kitchen, says healthday.com. By getting about 30 percent of your calories from fat (less than 7 percent from saturated fats), eating five to seven servings of fruits and vegetables every day, and eating plenty of whole grains, you can lower your cholesterol level, protect your arteries, and slash your risk for a heart attack. Some types of fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, may help lower triglycerides and provide other benefits. Talk to your doctor about how to increase your intake of good fats while cutting down on the “bad” fats.

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3. Avoid smoking. If you already do, stop!

Experts hold that cigarettes damage the arteries and speed the buildup of cholesterol and plaque, the first step toward a heart attack. In the Nurses’ Health Study, just one to 14 cigarettes per day tripled the risk of heart trouble. Other studies have found that smoking at least 25 cigarettes a day may raise the risk 15 times as much. If you’re a smoker, quitting immediately is the best thing you can do for your heart. Within two years, the threat of the heart attack will drop to the level of a person who has never smoked.

4. Drink moderately

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One or two alcoholic drinks per day can help raise your good HDL cholesterol and help prevent dangerous blood clots. However, women are warned to limit their alcohol intake to up to one drink a day, since their bodies process alcohol differently than men. The down side is that any more than two drinks a day can increase blood pressure. Extremely heavy drinkers can also suffer damage to the heart muscle, cardiomyopathy.

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5. Keep a positive outlook, don’t get depressed

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It is advised by expert to keep blood pressure at bay in order to have a healthy heart. High blood pressure has been found to be associated with emotional stress. Emotional distress is hard on the heart, and professional help can be a true lifesaver. Several studies suggest that depressed people who are otherwise healthy are more likely to develop heart disease than peers who aren’t depressed. For example, a 13-year study of 1,500 subjects conducted at Johns Hopkins University found that an episode of depression increased the risk of heart attack more than fourfold, reports healthday.com. These studies take smoking and other factors into account, providing strong evidence that depression alone may be enough to cut down a once-healthy heart.

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