The heart, the engine of our bodies, must be taken care of.
Cardiovascular disease comprises a whole group of diseases that affect the circulatory system---the heart, veins and arteries---in the human body. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death among both men and women and much of it is genetic. However, people constantly do harmful things to their bodies to encourage the development of cardiovascular disease and this is only compounded if they are genetically predisposed to such illness.
Don't Smoke
One of the most unhealthy things you can do to your body is smoking cigarettes or using tobacco products. If you do smoke, quit. If you don't smoke, don't start. Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,800 chemicals, many of which can damage your heart and blood vessels. Also, nicotine narrows the blood vessels, increasing blood pressure, and the carbon monoxide from smoking replaces the oxygen in your bloodstream. All these things force your heart to work harder to supply your body with enough oxygen to properly operate. Over many years of this abuse to the system, cardiovascular diseases and problems may develop.
Exercise Vigorously
Regular exercise with moderate to vigorous physical exertion reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease as it keeps you thinner, cleans out your blood vessels and reduces strain on the heart when you aren't exerting yourself. In other words, it makes your heart stronger. It also reduces stress, a contributing factor in heart disease. Any exercise is good exercise. Ideally, you should do 30 to 60 minutes of exercise three to four times a week, but even 10 minutes of exercise a couple times a week can seriously reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Heart-Healthy Diets
Eating foods that are low in fat, cholesterol and salt is integral to maintaining a healthy heart and circulatory system and preventing cardiovascular disease. Saturated fats and trans fats are especially bad, as they raise the cholesterol levels in your bloodstream. Heart-healthy eating isn't about cutting back, it's more about changing or adding certain foods to your diet. Most people who are at risk of developing cardiovascular disease simply need to add five to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables to their diet per day, which can help prevent heart disease and cancer.
Tags: blood vessels, cardiovascular disease, your heart, heart disease, minutes exercise
