Friday, 25 May 2012

Heart Attack – Ayurvedic Diet and Lifestyle


A healthy heart is the key to good health. The heart being a vital organ of the body needs dedicated care. In order to avoid heart diseases, one also needs to take care to keep levels of blood pressure and cholesterol regulated.

Ayurveda recommends that a good, balanced and nutritious diet can go a long way in keeping the heart healthy and preventing heart attacks. It also recommends that one should follow a healthy lifestyle that promotes a healthy heart. Here are a few tips on diet and lifestyle to keep heart attack at bay:

Fat
Animal fat is very harmful for the heart. So, one should avoid foods such as red meat, milk, cheese and butter.

Sodium
Increased blood pressure levels increases the risk of a heart attack. Reduce consumption of sodium in order to lower level of blood pressure and thus reduce risk of heart attack. Try and avoid canned food and adding additional salt to your food.

Fresh Fruits
Fresh fruits contain minerals, vitamins, fibre and antioxidants that keep the heart healthy.

Fresh Vegetables
Consume fresh vegetables as they too contain various vitamins and minerals. Try eating them raw or barely cooked as over cooking destroys their nutrient levels.

Lean Meat
The body needs proteins to strengthen the heart muscles. Consume lean meat as animal fat can be harmful for health.

Water
Drinking lots of water daily is not only good for the heart but also for the overall health of your body. Drinking warm water is considered more helpful than cold water.

Alcohol
Research proves that moderate consumption of alcohol is good for the heart as it raises the good cholesterol and reduces plaque accumulation in the arteries. But excessive consumption can have an ill effect as it leads to high blood pressure, increases fat in the body and weakens the heart.

Smoking
Cigarette smoke contains numerous chemicals that can cause serious damage to the body. Smoking increases fat levels in the body, damages blood vessels, damages the artery walls and lead to clotting of blood.

Exercise
Exercising regularly makes the heart stronger, reduces level of fat in the blood stream and also reduces deposition of plaque in the walls of the arteries. One must exercise at least 3-5 times in a week.  

Stress
In today’s world, stress is an important aspect that everyone has to deal with. Indulge in stress reduction techniques such as, massage, yoga, meditation, tai chi, etc. to reduce stress levels.


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