How to prevent heart attack

Heart problems are one of the leading causes of death across the world. In both developed and developing countries, heart attacks are responsible for high rates of mortality although some simple changes in lifestyles could help in preventing them.



There are three main steps you can take to prevent heart attacks (as well as strokes):

• eat a healthy, balanced diet
• avoid smoking
• try to keep your blood pressure at a healthy level

Diet

Eating an unhealthy diet high in fat will make your atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) worse and increase your risk of heart attack.
Continuing to eat high fat foods will cause more fatty plaques to build-up in your arteries. This is because fatty foods contain cholesterol.

There are two main types of cholesterol:

• low-density lipoprotein (LDL) – is mostly made up of fat plus a small amount of protein; this type of cholesterol can block your arteries so it is often referred to as ‘bad cholesterol’
• high-density lipoprotein (HDL) – is mostly made up of protein plus a small amount of fat; this type of cholesterol can reduce deposits in your arteries so is often referred to as ‘good cholesterol’

There are also two types of fat, saturated and unsaturated. Avoid foods containing high levels of saturated fat because they increase levels of bad cholesterol in your blood.
Foods high in saturated fat include:

• meat pies
• sausages and fatty cuts of meat
• butter
• ghee (a type of butter often used in Indian cooking)
• lard
• cream
• hard cheese
• cakes and biscuits
• foods that contain coconut or palm oil

Eating a small amount of unsaturated fat will increase the level of good cholesterol and help reduce any blockage in your arteries. Foods high in unsaturated fat include:

• oily fish
• avocados
• nuts and seeds
• sunflower, rapeseed and olive oil

Smoking

Smoking is a major risk factor for heart attacks because it causes atherosclerosis and raises blood pressure.

High blood pressure

Persistent high blood pressure can put your arteries and heart under extra strain, increasing your risk of heart attack.
High blood pressure can often be reduced by a healthy diet, moderating your intake of alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight, and taking regular exercise.

Diet

The dietary advice above also applies if you have high blood pressure. In addition, cut down on the amount of salt in your food and eat plenty of fruit and vegetables.
Salt raises your blood pressure. The more salt you eat, the higher your blood pressure. You should aim to eat less than 6g (0.2oz) of salt a day, which is about a teaspoonful.

Eating a low-fat diet that includes lots of fibre, such as wholegrain rice, bread and pasta, and plenty of fruit and vegetables, has been proven to help lower blood pressure. Fruit and vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals and fibre and help keep your body in good condition.
You should aim to eat five 80g portions of fruit and vegetables every day.

Alcohol

Regularly drinking alcohol above the limits recommended by the NHS will raise your blood pressure.
Therefore, staying within the recommended levels is the best way to reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure. The recommended limits for alcohol consumption are:

• three to four units a day for men
• two to three units a day for women

Alcohol is also high in calories, so you will gain weight if you drink regularly. Being overweight will also increase your blood pressure.

Weight

Being overweight forces your heart to work harder to pump blood around your body which can raise your blood pressure.

If you do need to shed some weight, it is worth remembering that just losing a few pounds will make a big difference to your blood pressure and overall health. Get tips on losing weight safely.

Exercise

Being active and taking regular exercise will lower your blood pressure by keeping your heart and blood vessels in good condition. Regular exercise can also help you lose weight which will help lower your blood pressure.
Low-impact activities such as walking, swimming and cycling are recommended. More strenuous activities, such as playing football and squash, may not be recommended. Check with the doctor in charge of your care.

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Source: NHS