Beating Heart Disease
Being diagnosed with a heart problem can be scary. However, many have managed to live out long and happy lives with heart disease simply by making a few lifestyle changes. Don’t let heart disease debilitate you – here are just a few ways to conquer it.
Cut out the bad stuff
There are lots of ‘don’ts’ when it comes to having heart disease – some of which are only there as cautionary advice to prevent a lawsuit. Know the real dangers and focus on eliminating these first. Fatty foods, smoking, alcohol abuse and drugs are good examples of real dangers. You should cut out these one by one in stages – abstaining from them all at once could be dangerous on your body.
Stress is also a big culprit that you should aim to cut out of your life as best you can. If your job is causing strain, consider getting a new job or cutting down your hours. If the problems are closer to home, consider counselling as a way of minimising these stresses.
You do need to be careful with exercise but that shouldn’t mean you should abstain altogether. There are many ways to stay active with a heart condition. Cutting down on skydiving and marathon running might be advised, but you can still go to the gym and so for a run, so long as you know your limits.
Rewarding yourself
Your heart will be able to withstand the occasional treat. If you enjoy drink, allow yourself a glass of wine or a beer once a week. Similarly, allow one unhealthy snack every so often to calm your cravings. Set yourself goals when abstaining from bad stuff – if you meet these goals you can treat yourself. It may be worth speaking to a nutritionist that can help set a dieting regime for you that’s healthy but exciting.
Stay monitored
There are heart monitors you can buy to use in conjunction with apps so that you can catch any heart irregularities before they evolve into something worse. This can also be useful when going the doctor for a check-up as it gives them hard data to work with.
Other technology can be useful to own if you’ve got a heart condition. A defibrillator could save your life if you were to ever have a heart attack. Foremost’s AEDs are a good choice that you can buy online. Gadgets to read blood pressure and cholesterol may also be useful.
Considering surgery
In some cases you may be able to have surgery to repair a heart problem. This could include heart bypass surgery or getting a stent fixed. Heart surgery can be daunting stuff and it’s always worth researching the risks and benefits thoroughly. Some may consider going private and visiting a specialist heart surgeon in order to get the best care. Speak to professionals and don’t rely wholly on internet advice when it comes to surgery.