The Importance of Heart Health

Maintaining optimal heart health is essential so that you don’t develop a chronic or emergency condition that affects your cardiovascular system. There are numerous types of health problems that can affect your heart or its arteries, including:

• High blood pressure
• Valve diseases
• Abnormal heart rhythms
• Heart failure
• Coronary artery disease
• Heart attacks
• Stroke
• Congestive heart failure

Heart conditions primarily affect older adults as part of the natural aging process, but younger adults who have poor habits such as eating a high-fat diet or smoking cigarettes are also more likely to have heart problems. Someone with a condition such as diabetes mellitus is more likely to have heart disease, and also, individuals who are sedentary can have a problem that affects the cardiovascular system. In addition, more children and teenagers are experiencing heart health problems due to obesity. Exposure to pollutants at home, work or school in addition to outside buildings can contribute to heart disease issues. Conditions such as insomnia or sleep apnea can also harm the cardiovascular system. Individuals who have a lower income are more likely to have heart problems due to a poor diet and additional mental stress.

Hundreds of individuals are diagnosed with some type of heart disease each year, but many of them have ignored the signs of problems until the condition has done extensive damage to the cardiovascular system. Here are some signs that you might have heart disease:

• Excessive perspiration
• Extreme fatigue
• Jaw or throat pain
• Dizziness
• Pain throughout the arm
• Abdominal discomfort
• Heartburn or nausea
• Discomfort in the chest
• Respiratory difficulties
• Irregular heartbeat
• Pressure in the chest
• Fainting

Millions of people worldwide have heart conditions that affect their daily living. In addition to living a poor lifestyle that can contribute to heart disease, you can develop infections in the cardiovascular system, or alternatively, you might have a health problem such as rheumatic fever that affects your heart. However, experts believe that 90 percent of heart health problems were preventable.

There are several ways that you can prevent heart disease, including:

• Get regular exercise
• Reducing daily stress
• Losing weight
• Consuming less fat and sodium
• Decrease cholesterol levels
• Reduce blood pressure to a normal level
• Limit your consumption of alcohol
• Consume more fiber
• Stop smoking cigarettes
• Eat more fruits and vegetables
• Monitor your blood sugar levels
• Supplement with antioxidants

If you suspect that you have a heart problem and would like more information on heart health, we encourage you to reach out and make an appointment with Cardiac Associates of North Jersey. At our convenient location in Oakland, NJ, our caring and dedicated team of professionals will be pleased to answer any questions you may have. Contact us today to set up your consultation – we look forward to speaking with you.