If you're in your late 20s or early 30s and you want a course correction, perhaps that pot belly is too big or you’re not fitting into those size 34 jeans anymore, you need to boost your heart health. You need to start now, not in your 40s. Of course, no matter what age you are, improving the health of your heart is imperative. Is it better to exercise or diet? You need a bit of both, despite the fact that you may walk up and down the stairs at home or at work, and even if you were a footballer in your younger days. Times have changed in the last decade or so for you.
New research says dieting, exercising or a combination of the two can all get the job done about equally well as long as you lose some weight. You need to cut down your diet by about 20 percent and increase your activity levels by about the same percentage. Think about it this way, if you have a sugary drink with your lunch or a heavy dessert after dinner, cut them out, that’s most of your 20 percent gone from your diet. It amounts to roughly 300-400 calories. That’s not a lot, if you watch what you eat.
Choose a healthy eating plan. The food you eat can decrease your risk of heart disease and stroke. Choose foods low in saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium. As part of a healthy diet, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, fiber-rich whole grains, fish (preferably oily fish-at least twice per week), nuts, legumes and seeds and try eating some meals without meat. Select lower fat dairy products and poultry (skinless). Limit sugar-sweetened beverages and red meat. If you choose to eat meat, select the leanest cuts available.
Be physically active. You can slowly work up to at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity (e.g., brisk walking) every week or 1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) of vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity (e.g., jogging, running) or a combination of both every week.
Additionally, on two or more days a week you need muscle-strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest shoulders, and arms), no matter what gender you are. Children should get at least 60 minutes of activity every day.
It's never too early or too late to learn the warning signs of a heart attack and stroke. Not everyone experiences sudden numbness with a stroke or severe chest pain with a heart attack. And heart attack symptoms in women can be different than men. However, you also need to consult the experts before you undertake any sort of physical activity. Even more so if you are suffering from heart disease. Speak to a doctor or dietician.
