Heart diseases are increasing by the day. Some people credit it to the sedentary lifestyle while some are victims of it because of excessive stress. However, what needs to be noted is the fact that even if you are diagnosed with something as grave as a heart failure, there are certain changes that you can make in your day-to-day life and let the disease not interrupt your routine.
A heart failure is caused when the heart is not pumping sufficiently oxygenated blood. Some basic symptoms of this are shortness of breath, frequent coughing (especially when lying down), swollen feet, ankles and legs, abdominal swelling and pain and fatigue.
Here are a few things that you should keep a check on to manage heart failure in your daily life:
1. Limit Salt intake: High amounts of sodium chloride in your diet can increase your blood pressure. This will make the diuretics less effective and will add to the swelling in your lower limbs. Instead of adding salt in your food, you can consider using herbs or lemon for seasoning.
2. Reduce intake of saturated fats and cholesterol: Excessive saturated fats and cholesterol can lead to formation of plaque deposits in the heart arteries. This can lead to something as fatal as a heart attack.
3. Quit Smoking immediately: Smoking too leads to building up of plaque, which eventually leads to impaired blood flow to the heart muscles. Furthermore, the carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke also restricts the flow of blood in the heart.
4. Never miss your medicines: If you are a heart patient, your cardiologist must have prescribed you medicines to ensure your parameters are stable. These medications can include diuretics, digoxin, vasodilators etc.
5. Stay active: Simple exercises like walking, cycling, swimming and yoga are good options. These simple activities will ensure that you are fit. If you are experiencing breathlessness, try attempting exercising in shorter bouts. However, before starting any of these exercises, ensure that you have checked with your doctor.
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