Heart disease is claimed as the foremost cause of death worldwide. There are a variety of factors causing heart diseases that lead to permanent heart failure. Heart diseases such as heart attack, heart failure, coronary heart disease, etc., can weaken the heart and adversely affect its functioning. Although recovery from a heart attack takes time, proper management and significant lifestyle changes are the only ways to speed up recovery and lower the risk of developing heart disease and that is related to Heart Strengthening.
Methods of heart-strengthening:
Several ways can be adopted to heart Strengthening.
- Exercise:
Different types of exercises are helpful to improve the heart’s functioning, such as;
- Aerobic exercise: This exercise includes jumping, walking, running, swimming, and playing games such as tennis, football, volleyball, etc. These games improve blood circulation throughout the body, ultimately decreasing the heart rate and blood pressure. The patients are usually directed to perform these exercises for at least 30 minutes daily. Moreover, these exercises reduce the risk of diabetes which is evidenced as the primary factor in developing heart diseases.
- Resistance training: Obesity is the primary reason for heart diseases that can only be cured with continuous exercise. A person with a big belly and a lot of fat is directed to do resistance training, push-ups, and work out with heavyweight squats and dumbbells. It is also recommended to perform resistance training twice a week. These exercises help in the body’s composition and lower the body’s cholesterol level.
- Stretching: Stretching of the muscles increases the joint’s flexibility and reduces pain, cramping, and other muscular issues. Stretching is also proven helpful in aerobic exercise and resistance training. This exercise includes yoga which is also beneficial in relieving depression and increasing brain strength.
- Medication:
Doctors prescribe different medicines to recover the heart and normalize its functioning. Following medications for heart Strengthening;
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors: These medicines are used to normalize the hormone level and regulate the blood pressure at its normal rate. These inhibitors can also widen your arteries for the proper blood supply to the heart, but they can only be used after several tests, such as an annual blood and urine test.
- Antiplatelet: This medicine is taken to reduce the stickiness and clotting of the blood to prevent any heart disease. It is also helpful in recovery from a heart attack. The doctor usually recommends aspirin to thin the blood and prescribes additional antiplatelet medicines, such as clopidogrel, prasugrel, or ticagrelor, for heart strengthening.
- Beta-blockers: This medication is prescribed to lower blood pressure and relax the heart muscles for a normal heartbeat. This medicine is usually recommended after a heart attack.
- Statins: Statins are used to lower the blood cholesterol level, which is the main reason for a heart attack. It also avoids damage to the coronary artery and prevents the heart from getting another heart attack.
Diet for Heart Strengthening
Diet is another major factor that helps for heart Strengthening and recover from different heart diseases. A healthy diet includes the following things:
- Vegetables and fruits
- Protein food like seafood, meat, chicken, eggs, and juices.
- Seeds and nuts
- Plant-based and healthy oils like olive oil
- Using complex carbohydrates for energy
- Intake of magnesium, potassium, sodium, and calcium-based foods
- Consuming low saturated fats
- Drinking plenty of water
Expert nutritionists plan many types of diets to recover your heart. Some of them are listed below:
- The Mediterranean diet
- Plant-based eating
- Dietary approaches to stopping hypertension (DASH)
All the above-mentioned diets can be helpful if taken in an appropriate amount with proper meal planning. Its excessive intake can reverse its functioning and leads to a heart attack.
There are plenty of foods that must be avoided during the heat recovery process, such as:
- Fast food
- Dairy products
- Fried food
- Frozen food
- Alcohol and beverages
- Condiments such as mayonnaise, ketchup, and packaged dressing
- Quit smoking:
Smoking is the biggest reason for a heart attack and is also related to coronary artery disease. You must stop smoking immediately to strengthen your heart. Moreover, your doctor will suggest different ways and therapies to quit smoking.
- Weight loss:
Being overweight is the biggest riddle in the recovery of the heart. You need to lose weight to prevent the pressure on the heart and the muscles of your body. Excess weight can increase the blood pressure and cholesterol level in the body, adversely affecting heart functioning. A healthy diet and regular exercise can help you lose weight more quickly.
- Stress management:
Stress can negatively affect the body and increase the risk of having coronary artery disease. You must control your stress to recover your heart and prevent several other health issues. Different techniques can be used to manage stress, include meditation, yoga, relaxation, painting, listening to music, etc.
- Cardiac Rehabilitation:
Cardiac rehabilitation is a program designed by physicians to inform patients about their disease and provide them with strategies to cope with it. This program comprises of different sessions, from which your cardiologist can recommend you attend its two to three sessions regularly. This program has proven very helpful in avoiding further heart attacks.
References:
- https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/3-kinds-of-exercise-that-boost-heart-health retrieved on April 03, 2022.
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heartattack/recovery/#:~:text=It’s%20usually%20recommended%20that%20you%20take%20low%2Ddose%20aspirin%2C%20which,you%20have%20had%20stent%20treatment retrieved on April 03, 2022.
- https://www.healthline.com/health/heart-health/food-eat-avoid#foods-to-eat retrieved on April 03, 2022.
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17055-heart-attack-recovery–cardiac-rehabilitation retrieved on April 03, 2022.
