Your lifestyle habits can determine whether you are at risk for heart disease. While many factors cause heart disease, you should pay special attention to your diet and physical activity levels. Deerfield Beach heart disease can affect your daily performance and quality of life, especially because of chest pain and fatigue.
Your specialist can offer various testing methods so that they can make an accurate diagnosis and advise you accordingly after analyzing your test results.
Common diseases and symptoms
There are many types of heart disease, and common ones include heart attacks, coronary heart disease, and heart failure. If you have heart disease, you might experience symptoms like chest pain or tightness, lightheadedness, fatigue, heart rhythm changes, difficulty breathing, and leg or abdomen swelling.
Tips to minimize your risk for heart disease
The following are effective ways to help you reduce your risk for heart disease.
Maintain a healthy weight
Your weight affects your cardiovascular health directly. Extra weight exerts a lot of pressure on your joints and can lead to fatty deposits in your arteries. The fatty deposits can block your arteries, restricting blood flow and leading to a heart attack. Your specialist can recommend a customized meal plan and exercise regimen to lose or maintain a healthy weight.
Eat a balanced diet
Your diet should consist of foods that promote good cardiovascular health. Consume unprocessed foods like lean proteins, including chicken and fish, whole grains, and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. The goal of your diet is to maintain steady blood sugar levels and blood pressure and lower your cholesterol levels.
Get enough exercise
Regular exercise helps to strengthen your heart muscles while promoting blood circulation. You should engage in daily exercises like jogging, swimming, rope skipping, or strength training. If you don’t have enough time to exercise, walk at least 10 minutes daily.
Stop smoking
Smoking increases your chances of heart disease by limiting blood circulation and the transportation of oxygen in your body. Consider quitting the habit, and if you receive secondary smoke, you also run the risk of heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer.
How do you get tested for heart disease?
If you experience any symptoms of heart disease, your specialist can recommend tests like stress testing and low-dose CT scanning. Stress testing checks how effectively your heart is pumping blood when it is not at rest. During the test, your doctor can have you ride a stationary bicycle as they monitor your heart.
Low-dose CT scanning involves a series of X-ray images your doctor will combine to check the details of your heart and surrounding features. The test can check for calcium deposits in your heart and the risk of coronary heart disease.
If you are at risk of heart disease or experiencing associated symptoms, visit Life Imaging Fla for diagnosis. The available team at the center will review your lifestyle and medical history combined with diagnostic testing to check for various types of heart disease. Call or book your appointment online today to improve your cardiovascular health.
