If the eyes are the window to the soul, then the heart is certainly the door and, as such, you must do everything you possibly can to protect your heart health, even more so as you get older.
With that being said, here are the top four ways to look after your heart as you age and what could happen if you fail to heed the warnings.
Watch Your Weight
Even though it seems as if virtually any health issue can be either entirely avoided, or else the risk can be reduced, by losing weight, it is indeed true that maintaining a healthy weight can go a long way to improving the overall condition of your heart.
The more body fat you are carrying, the higher your risk of developing high blood pressure issues, diabetes, breathing problems, and developing heart disease, with the latter going on to cause a myriad of additional issues which can even cause fatalities.
Be Aware of the Key Symptoms of Heart Disease
Even though prevention is, of course, the best way to protect yourself against problems with your heart, it would also be incredibly sensible to make yourself aware of the key signs and symptoms of heart disease. Remember, if you have even the slightest inclination that you are suffering from any level of heart disease, you must seek medical attention or at the very least, contact your physician immediately.
The key signs of heart disease include the following:
- Vomiting and feeling nauseous
- Fatigue
- Chest pain during exercise
- Ankle, foot or leg swelling
- Headaches and migraines
- Trouble catching your breath
- Tingling sensations in hands and feet
Look After Your Teeth
Upon the first read, taking good care of your teeth and looking after all aspects of your oral hygiene may not seem applicable to good heart health.
However, oral hygiene is directly linked to the health of your heart, and it is just as important for children to look after their mouth, teeth, and gums as it is for adults and the elderly. Your children should visit an established and renowned pediatric dentist asheville, at the very least two times a year, and you should ensure that they brush and floss their teeth every single night and morning.
Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Finally, the fourth most important way of preventing problems with your heart in the future is to start to improve, immediately, both the duration and quality of your sleeping patterns.
If your sleeping pattern each night is usually disrupted, then it is likely that your body is unable to rest, repair, and recuperate, which can negatively influence and impact your core biological processes, such as inflammation prevention and your glucose metabolism.
The average recommended number of hours of sleep for an older adult is between six and eight hours a night, and if you regularly receive fewer hours, then this will cause a build-up of the CPR protein, which is directly linked to heart disease.
