It’s Not About Age, Heart Health Always Matters
What does it mean to be healthy today? While most people often associate health with maintaining a certain physique or body strength, the truth is that our relationship with our bodies is deeper than we realize, and everything we consume affects our bodies in many different ways. Heart health is also a very important factor in our health.
American Heart Month is a great opportunity to renew our relationship with our body and learn how to look at it through a different lens. By incorporating heart-healthy fitness into our understanding of health, we are making sure that this muscle can continue to pump blood to the rest of the body and deliver essential nutrients and, most importantly, oxygen.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 16.3 million Americans aged above 20 years old are living with coronary heart disease (CHD). The American Heart Association also states that heart disease is the number 1 killer in women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year.
“I Can’t Help It, I’m Just Getting Older”
There is often a misconception that breathlessness or heart problems are inevitable with old age. In fact, there are countless stories of older adults misperceiving their heart problems as a result of ‘growing old’ or that there is no other way to prevent it.
When people aren’t fully aware of the symptoms of heart disease, heart attacks can happen before there is an opportunity to incorporate heart-healthy fitness into their daily lives. Getting older should not be associated with stereotypes of having bad health, instead, we should be focused on ‘healthy aging’, which means maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle despite losses in capacity.
Heart problems arise when less effort is taken to protect our health. The more we neglect it or associate naturally deteriorating health with aging, the more it worsens. Symptoms may not be as obvious as a sudden heart attack, because heart failure can gradually occur when the heart no longer has the ability to pump sufficient blood supply to various parts of the body.
What Are The Symptoms?
It is important to know the symptoms and become more aware of the changes happening inside our bodies.
The most common symptoms are chest discomfort, shortness of breath, nausea, and extreme fatigue. It can also include numbness or weakness in your legs or arms, as well as pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen, or back.
A dry and persistent cough is also a symptom of heart infection, which can also include other symptoms such as skin rashes and changes in your heart rhythm. When you are experiencing more than one of these symptoms, pay closer attention to your heart health and consider a visit to a doctor.
Pineapples: Perfect for Heart Health
When it comes to heart health, what we consume plays a key role. We often hear phrases such as “carrots improve eyesight” growing up, but there’s another fruit that is also extremely beneficial for the heart: pineapples.
Pineapple juice improves blood circulation and ensures smooth blood flow in the circulatory system. The juice also contains bromelain, which can prevent blood platelet aggregation or clotting and makes your blood thinner, which reduces the chances of heart attack and other heart diseases.
Antioxidants in vitamin C also lower the risks of heart diseases by preventing atherosclerosis and acting as an anticoagulant. In fact, research has found that taking a vitamin C supplement helps reduce “bad” cholesterol.
Fiber may lower cholesterol levels, which is just another reason why pineapples are beneficial in helping you control your blood sugar levels. Maintaining good blood sugar levels is a key part of preventing you from indulging in cravings that negatively impact your heart health.
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