VERIFIED CONTENTConsultation: Dr. Renata Houwald-Koronacka, cardiologist

A woman's heart pumps over 7,500 liters of blood every day. Works continuously. Even though it has always been strong and he althy, it starts to feel unwell over time as it grows old. Can this be prevented? What to do at the first disturbing heart signals?

A woman's heart is getting old faster

Cardiovascular diseases more often cause death in women (53%) than in men (41%). The aging process of the heart muscle is different for each sex. In men, it begins quickly - around the age of 30, but progresses gradually. The heart of the 35-year-old is 40 years old, the 50-year-old - already 60-65 years old. In a 40-year-old woman, she is still young, but then, when the protective function of estrogens disappears, she grows old rapidly. At the age of 50, she is already 60-65 years old.

Preventing heart disease: diet

With a poorly diversified diet, we may lack the compounds that determine the good condition of the heart. These include magnesium and potassium. Magnesium stimulates the heart muscle to contractions, provides the heart with energy necessary for efficient work (it is in plums, walnuts). Potassium lowers blood pressure. It is provided by potatoes, melons, avocados, peaches, beets, and beans. Omega-3 fatty acids are very important in regulating the heart rhythm. Their source can be oils, especially linseed, sea fish.

Preventing heart disease: exercise

Systematic training develops the network of blood vessels throughout the body. Regular exercise also increases their internal cross-section, thanks to which more oxygen-rich blood reaches the body's cells (including the heart). This improves the efficiency of the heart muscle.

Regular exercise can also lower the level of bad cholesterol (LDL) and sugar in the blood, and reduce blood pressure, that is, reduce the factors damaging the heart. For the training to be effective, you must follow the "3x30x130" rule - that is, exercise at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes and intensively enough to increase your heart rate to 130 beats per minute. For the heart, systematic exercises are recommended, performed at an even pace (cardio training), such as swimming, Nordic walking, cycling, rollerblading, skating or cross-country skis.

Preventing heart disease: sleep and relax

Working beyond measure, lack of vacation, taking the night away does not allow the heart to regenerate. The older you are, the more important it becomes to rest regularly: go to bed at a fixed time and sleep 7-8 hours a night, take two-week vacation twice a year and spend your weekends on leisure.

Preventing heart disease: cure any infection

Inflammation of the walls of the coronary arteries or the heart muscle can be caused by microorganisms responsible, for example, for influenza, angina or bronchitis. Even tooth decay can be dangerous to the heart. Chronic diseases should not be underestimated either. Untreated or poorly treated diabetes damages blood vessels, which can double the risk of coronary heart disease or a heart attack. High blood glucose levels promote the deposition of atherosclerotic plaques in the walls of blood vessels.

High blood pressure also requires treatment. It forces the heart to work hard - it overloads it, exacerbating the symptoms of coronary artery disease, and in addition, with high blood pressure in the coronary vessels, more cholesterol is deposited.

Preventing heart disease: less s alt

Sodium chloride, commonly known as table s alt, affects metabolic processes. It has been proven that its excess contributes to the development of arterial hypertension, which gradually destroys the cardiovascular system. If life without s alt seems impossible, limit your intake to 5-6g a day (the equivalent of a flat teaspoon).

Preventing heart disease: more cheerfulness

When we get nervous, the adrenal glands throw a huge dose of catecholamines (including adrenaline, commonly known as the stress hormone) into the blood, which accelerate the heart rate, raise blood pressure, cause sudden contraction of the arteries - which can end in a heart attack.

This is how stress works - an inseparable part of our lives. However, you can and must learn to discharge it, find time for such activities that will relax us. And most importantly - keep the hierarchy of problems, do not worry about trifles and cultivate cheerfulness.

Preventing heart disease: keep cholesterol normal

Cholesterol is a component of cell membranes and a material for some hormones (e.g. sex). It does not dissolve in water or blood. So in order for it to be transported to where it is needed, it must first attach to other substances circulating in the plasma. They are lipoproteins. Depending on which lipoprotein binds cholesterol, LDL or HDL particles are formed. HDL ensures that there is as much total cholesterol in the blood as needed - it removes the excess cholesterol into the liver. And the LDL particles settle onthe walls of your arteries to form plaque or plaque. The walls of the arteries thicken, become inflexible, their internal cross-section becomes smaller and smaller, and it is difficult for blood to squeeze through them. You can fight excess bad cholesterol by restricting red meat. You have to replace them with fish and lean white poultry. In a cholesterol-lowering diet, vegetables, fruits, legumes, coarse-grain bread and cereals are also necessary, because they provide fiber that helps remove cholesterol from the intestine. To raise the level of beneficial HDL, you should introduce vegetable oils (especially linseed oil, rapeseed oil and olive oil) into the diet.

Preventing heart disease: keep an eye on your BMI

Every extra kilo forces the heart to work harder. If your body mass index (BMI) is over 25, you should lose the extra pounds. A large dose of exercise and a low-calorie diet rich in fiber (about 1800-2000 kcal per day for women and 2800-3000 kcal for men) will be helpful.

>>CHECK your BMI>>

Prevention of heart disease: give up stimulants

There are substances in nicotine smoke that increase blood clotting and the tendency of platelets to stick together, damage endothelial cells of blood vessels - their walls become porous, cholesterol settles in them more easily and the atherosclerotic process progresses. If you smoke and at the same time have, for example, hypertension or high cholesterol - you will probably have a heart attack. The second on the list is alcohol, especially strong alcohol, which causes, among others, Heart arythmia. A he althy person can drink a glass of red wine with a meal once a day - it contains anti-atherosclerotic compounds and slightly increases the level of HDL particles (the so-called good cholesterol).

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