Taking Care of Your Heart by Understanding the Associated Risks

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a chronic heart condition that many seniors suffer from. A healthy lifestyle and a supportive environment, such as that of an assisted living community, can make a vast difference to you. Let’s take a detailed look at the risks, preventive measures, and choices that can reduce the likelihood of getting heart disease.

Uncontrolled Risks

There are a few things that are beyond our control, for instance:

Age – If you are over 65 years of age, you may face a greater risk of heart disease.
Gender – Studies have shown that men have a higher risk of heart attack as compared to women.
Heredity – If your parents have had any heart disease, the likelihood of you suffering from it increases.

Controllable Risks

These refer to the consequences of your choices that you can change with time.

Smoking – Cigarettes considerably increase the chances of you suffering from a heart attack.
High Blood Pressure – The high pressure can increase the workload of your heart, causing it to thicken, thus increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.
High Cholesterol – Cholesterol, a fatty element, is responsible for the build-up of fats on the walls of your arteries, thus increasing your chances of CVD.
Diabetes – This is a condition where the body’s blood sugar level becomes too high and as a result, raises the risk of stroke.
Obesity – Being overweight leads to increased blood pressure, raising cholesterol levels and enhancing the risk of developing diabetes and heart disease.

Preventing Heart Diseases

Here are a few useful tips from the experts in our assisted living facility to help decrease the chances of CVD in the later years of your life:

Eat a Balanced Diet
It is very important to have a balanced diet consisting of essential nutrients such as Omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and vitamins. Include more healthy foods such as kidney beans, apples, halibut, salmon, berries, and nuts.
Regular Exercise
You need to consult your doctor, get their advice, and start exercising regularly. Start by walking for 30 minutes every day. You could also try meditation.
Look After Your Health
If needed, adopt a healthy weight loss strategy that does not cause more harm, and monitor your blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels regularly.
Quit Smoking
If you wish to have a healthy and strong heart, you must stop smoking cigarettes, cigars, and other things.

Healthy Habits & Lifestyle Choices

Your lifestyle, including your eating and sleeping habits, can also increase or reduce the chances of you suffering from CVD. Here are a few things to keep in mind to have a healthy heart:

Remain Calm
Your emotions directly influence your heart’s condition. Stress, depression, anxiety, and anger affect it negatively which is why it is recommended to remain calm and composed.
Monitor Your Salt Intake
If you have healthy blood pressure, you can have salt safely. However, if you have high blood pressure, you need to avoid it.
Get Proper Sleep
Depriving yourself of proper sleep leads to stress and all kinds of health problems. Make sure to get 6 to 8 hours of sleep every night.
Reduce Consumption of Red Meat
Limit your intake of red meat and include more vegetables and fruits to keep your heart healthy.
Have an Active Lifestyle
Exercise regularly and be energetic in order to increase your body’s metabolism.

We Provide Assisted Living Facilities for Seniors

Our assisted living community in Woonsocket, Rhode Island is an excellent facility that is easily accessible from both Providence and Boston. We have an efficient team to take care of the members and cater to their needs. Some of our amenities include the following:

Cozy and home-like atmosphere
Delicious and fresh home-cooked meals
Housekeeping services
Social activities and other fun events
Health monitoring
Registered nurses as part of our staff

If you have any questions about our services, you can reach out to our team by calling 401-762-4226. You could also contact us online to schedule a tour of our facility.

Also Read: Keeping a Healthy Heart in the Hot Months