How to Improve Heart Health at 50?

As you age, your body becomes weak and prone to many health conditions. Cardiovascular issues are one of the major health concerns when you reach your 50s. Lifestyle conditions like high blood pressure secure the top position regarding heart concerns. As per a recent survey, in India, five out of every ten men and four out of every ten women are developing high blood pressure.

Aging is a natural process, but that doesn’t mean heart health conditions that risk your life aren’t inevitable. Anytime is a good time to start prioritising your health. However, taking care of your heart at an early age can help minimise the risk and lengthen your life. Here are some lifestyle habits you must swear by to improve heart health at 50 and beyond.

Tips to improve your heart health

Prioritising your heart or overall health doesn’t need you to do something extraordinary. Simple changes in your lifestyle can positively impact your health.

Eat a heart-healthy diet

As you reach your 50s, your body functions slow down. You cannot eat anything and expect to get away with it. Therefore, it is recommended to have a balanced diet that is easy to digest, enriches your body with vital nutrients, and improves heart health. Eating ample fruits and vegetables, lowering your sodium and fat intake, and increasing your fibre intake keeps your heart in a good condition and reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases later in life.

Also, fueling your body with vital nutrients not only improves heart health but also strengthens immunity by keeping seasonal infections at bay.

Stay active

Doctors recommend that adults who are in their 50s must indulge in physical activities for at least 30 mins daily. As monsoons have arrived, practicing an exercise routine at home is as beneficial. You can even practice yoga asanas inside your home or indulge in some light intensity exercises.

Being overweight puts you at a risk of developing heart issues. Exercising daily helps you maintain a healthy weight and optimize heart health. Furthermore, it reduces stress hormones that put extra burden on your heart, and slows down heart rate thereby reducing the risk of high blood pressure.

Monitor your BP levels

Checking your blood pressure levels regularly is crucial to avert the possibilities of developing heart conditions. Poor lifestyle habits can put you on the verge of developing high blood pressure that can eventually lead to cardiovascular diseases.

High blood pressure is called a ‘silent killer’ which means it shows no signs and is often detected when the situation goes out of hand. Monitoring your BP levels regularly will help you gauge your heart health and identify any abnormalities to avoid further risks.

Get enough sleep

Poor sleep routine can increase your BP levels which can eventually lead to developing heart problems. People who suffer from sleep apnea or insomnia are at a higher risk of developing Hypertension and other cardiovascular issues.

It is always recommended to have 7-8 hours of sleep daily to keep your heart healthy and reduce the risk of cardiovascular issues. It helps in lowering your blood pressure levels and fosters an overall good health.

Quit smoking

Many people believe smoking is a way to beat stress but it is not. Smoking damages your health in a myriad number of ways. It causes plaque build-up in the blood vessels which causes your heart to work harder that increases the risk of high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases. Both active and passive smoking is injurious to health. So, if you don’t smoke but accompany someone who smokes, you too are at a risk of developing heart problems.

Reduce alcohol consumption

Consuming alcohol once in a while does not harm your heart health. But doing so often can cause your blood pressure to rise and eventually increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases like stroke, heart attack, and cardiac failure. Furthermore, alcohol is high in calories and can interfere with many medications.

To improve heart health, you must cut down your alcohol consumption or quit it entirely. This will not only lower your blood pressure levels but also reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes.

Take charge of your heart health at 50!

Owing to the inactive lifestyle, increased stress levels, and poor eating habits both men and women are at a higher risk of developing heart problems. Though there is no age to start living a healthy life, it is always better to start at an early age. But this doesn’t mean taking charge of your health in your 50s is too late.

Connect with expert doctors on BP in Control to assess your health status and make changes to your lifestyle to reduce the risk of heart diseases or avoid them altogether.