Heart is one of the hardest working organs in the human body. It is the “engine” of our body and like every other engine, requires us to maintain it through proper care. Every adult should understand how their heart works, how heart disease occurs and what they can do to prevent it.
The heart is actually a muscle, like the muscles on our legs and arms. The heart muscle has to be in a ‘good condition’ to ensure blood is able to circulate in the body, providing us with oxygen and nutrients as well as carrying away waste. ‘Good condition’ means that the organ does not have an excessive accumulation of fat – this will lower its muscle flexibility and contractions for smooth blood flow. Another important condition is to ensure that there are no cholesterol plaques building up in the organ’s blood vessel. Cholesterols plaques can block blood flow in arteries, making the process of blood flow less efficient.
There are many things we can do to ensure our heart health – the truth is that Malaysians need to take care of their heart health now instead of much later in life.
Here are the three things you can do to take good care of your heart health.
1. Combine a healthy, balanced diet with a brisk 15 minute walk daily
A brisk walk daily can cut the risk of heart disease symptoms such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high blood cholesterol, together with eating a balanced diet and annual medical check-ups. Sitting down for extended periods, such as in the office, may result in poor blood circulation and other issues such as organ damage and muscle degeneration. Try to alternate between sitting and standing every hour.
2. Add plant sterols to your diet
One way to reduce the risk of heart disease is to manage your cholesterol levels by adding plant sterols to your diet. Plant sterols can also be found in grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
3. Speak to your GP to do a cholesterol test
Taking care of our hearts should be a priority for every adult, and a healthy heart is a beautiful heart indeed.
The easier way to get the sufficient plant sterols needed to lower your cholesterol level is to drink a low fat milk enriched with added plant sterols like Nestlé Omega Plus milk. Nestlé Omega Plus is the only milk that has Acticol®, plant sterols that help lower cholesterol by blocking the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream. In fact, just 2 servings of Nestlé Omega Plus each day has been scientifically proven to lower cholesterol levels.
Related: Unhealthy Lifestyle Causes Arterial Ageing Amongst Malaysians
– Cover Image: gltrends.ng
