What are cardiovascular diseases?
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels. They are one of the leading causes of death in men and women globally. In Nigeria, about 220,000 people die every year from CVDs. Unfortunately, many people do not realize that they have an underlying condition until their first episode of a heart attack or stroke. Due to this, treatment is delayed, and the risk of death becomes even higher. However, the good news is that these diseases can be prevented through lifestyle changes.
Why should you protect your heart?
Your heart is a vital organ as it is responsible for pumping oxygen-rich blood to every organ of the body. Any damage to the heart will affect its ability to perform this function, leading to symptoms such as difficult breathing, chest pain, palpitations, etc which can affect your daily activities. Therefore, maintaining good heart health can significantly increase your quality of life.
What are some best habits for your heart?
Little lifestyle changes have been shown to have significant impact on cardiovascular health. In 2025, it is important to prioritize your heart as you set new year resolutions. In addition to your bikini body or a new car, slot in goals that will help keep your heart beating strong for the next several decades. Here are some best habits for a healthy heart.
Prioritize Sleep
As an adult, you need a minimum of 7 hours of sleep to function at your best. Poor sleep is linked to conditions such as chronic inflammation, hypertension and diabetes. Many people are unable to sleep adequately due to the struggles of earning a living. Likewise, noisy cities make it more difficult to have an uninterrupted sleep. All these could increase your risk of heart diseases.
To improve your sleep quality, you can start by having a fixed sleep time and wake-up time. Also, having a night routine is a good change that can help to get you ready for bed.
A heart-friendly diet
Whole grains, vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy are examples of foods that make up a heart-friendly diet. On the other hand, foods that are high in trans fats, added sugars and sodium should be avoided as much as possible as they can increase blood pressure and bad cholesterol level, causing heart problems. Wondering where to begin? Check out the DASH eating plan on the quantity and kinds of foods to include in your daily diet
Also, you can make your resolution stronger by doing a challenge with your friends to reduce or stop your intake of unhealthy foods. For instance, a no soda challenge or a no-pizza challenge can be a great start to a healthy heart.
Move your body
Physical activity helps to improve the function of the heart. Moving your body through regular walking, jogging or sit-ups is recommended to minimise the risk of heart diseases. Even hobbies such as gardening, dancing, or playing sports can improve your health and quality of life.
Regular exercise also helps to maintain a healthy weight which reduces the risk of many diseases including stroke, diabetes and certain types of cancer.
Ready to move your body? Play a song on your phone and get dancing. Or download a pedometer from your app store and count your steps throughout the day.
Say no to smoking
Exposure to nicotine from cigarettes increases heart rate, and level of bad fats, affects the normal rhythm of the heart, and hardens blood vessels. Cigarettes also contain chemicals which increase the risk of cancer. Even if you do not smoke, inhaling the fumes from a cigarette can affect your heart in the same manner as a smoker. In order to protect your health, it is important to avoid smoking and stay away from environments that expose you to nicotine in any form.
Track your numbers
Some of the values that can be used to assess the state of the heart include blood sugar, blood pressure and blood lipids. These numbers are expected to be in a normal range for age. If any of these rises and remains uncorrected, it may increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, it is important to take tests regularly and keep a record of these numbers to compare with normal values.
Knowing your numbers can help you avoid worse heart conditions by addressing risk factors as quickly as possible. Make it a goal to check them on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis.
Conclusion
A healthy heart is important for a healthy life. The choices that you make can either protect or damage your heart. Indeed, it is not the big change that counts but the small changes that you make over time. What is your pick? Another bottle of soda or a bottle of water? Think about your heart.
