Control Your Emotions to Keep Your Cardiovascular Health in Top Condition

 

Every year, mental health awareness month is recognized in order to motivate people to talk about their mental health and seek help if they need it. It has been found that as many as 20 percent of the people in the US are dealing with some sort of mental illness. The goal of mental health awareness month is to let people know that there are resources and treatments available. If you continue to ignore your deteriorating mental health, your emotional, behavioral, and physical health can suffer.

It has been found that how you feel and think has a strong bearing on the health of your heart. For instance, patients who discover that they have a heart disease and become depressed as a result of the news, increase their chances of experiencing a serious heart-related event within that year. Emotions such as anger, sadness, fear, etc., all can lead to irregular heart rhythms which is not good for your heart. That is why we have listed some ways of controlling negative emotions. Let’s take a look at them.

 

l  Engage In Exercise - We will advise you to engage in physical activities or exercises at least three times a week for about an hour. Aerobic exercises are famous for their heart and brain benefits. So, make sure do light jogging, walking, and cycling to keep your mind free of stressful thoughts.

l  Meditate - Countless number of people all around the world have benefited from practicing mindfulness. As we mentioned above, the goal is to free your body of stress. Doing meditation and some yoga can prove very effective for calming your mind.

l  Socialize - The more you remain secluded, the more depressed you will become. Staying in isolation can make your already depressed state of mind even more depressed. What should you do? Get out of your house, talk to your neighbors, stay active, and make new connections. Listening to others and sharing your experiences with them will make you feel lighter and happier.

 

Apart from these, try maintaining a journal, find reasons to laugh, and seek help from a professional therapist. If you do all of these, you will surely notice a difference in your mental state. Once you’ve made the aforesaid practices a daily part of your life, visit a doctor for ambulatory ECG monitoring. With the help of this monitoring, a doctor will be able to see how your heart is performing throughout the day while you engage in your daily activities.

How To Celebrate The Family Health And Fitness Day In 2021?

 

Most families are struggling mentally, emotionally, and physically while adjusting to the new change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This unprecedented shit has made it even more crucial for families to develop healthy eating habits, establish a fitness routine, and make healthy lifestyle changes.

As the second Saturday in June is celebrated as Family Health And Fitness Awareness Day each year, we have mentioned a few ways that promote health and physical activity between family members living in the same household. Here, they are:

Walk to a nearby park

An activity, like a walk in the park, is an incredible way to engage each member of the family in a fitness drive. After days of self-quarantine, children will like stepping out of their homes, witnessing the local wildlife, and feeling a bit closer to mother nature. Ensure everyone wears their masks while walking in the park and maintains a safe distance from passersby.

Play a sport together

Create a list of all sports your family plays together and choose the one with maximum votes to go out and play. You can also invite other families or friends for a friendly match in your backyard. You can pick any sport - from soccer to baseball to basketball - for the fun family activity as long as all members participate and move. If playing sports is not possible, go for a ride on your bikes to the nearest bike path for a low-impact yet effective exercise.

Enroll in a virtual fitness class

With restrictions imposed across the nation, most people have inclined themselves towards the digital world. Take advantage of this virtual world and enroll in online fitness classes. While some are available at no cost, others are paid as they have dedicated instructors to teach you at-home exercises in real-time. You can choose from aerobics to yoga - whatever your family enjoys the most.

If your family is partaking in a fitness drive for the first time together, we suggest making it a part of your daily routine. Participating in fun family activities not only brings all family members together but also maintains overall health and well-being. It’s also an excellent decision to invest in Holter EKG that helps you keep track of your cardiovascular health, especially if any family member is suffering from cardiovascular disease.

5 New Year Resolutions To Keep Your Heart Healthy

 

New Year begins with new resolutions. From being productive to beating procrastination to eating healthy and exercising, people make all sorts of commitments to make their new year better and more satisfying than the previous year. However, seldom do they realize that making heart-healthy resolutions is also vital to lead a healthy and fulfilling life.

Studies suggest that people with health problems experience a host of emotional and physical symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, insomnia, sleep troubles, and others, all of which can significantly affect the quality of life. It turns out that keeping cardiovascular health in good shape and preventing heart problems is as crucial as focusing on physical health and other aspects of life this new year.

Here are a few New Year resolutions you should make to keep your heart healthy:

Regularly check heart health: first thing first. Keep your heart health in check taking a Resting ECG test.If there are issues in the test, you may be referred to do a Stress test or wear a 24- hour Holter monitor.

Quit Smoking: smokers are twice as likely to develop heart problems and experience a heart attack than those who don’t smoke. Smoking damages the lining of your arteries and raises blood pressure, both of which are enough to trigger heart disease.

Consume less sugar: too much sugar in your diet can cause weight gain, which can raise blood pressure and result in heart disease and diabetes. Control your sugar intake.

Eat more green veggies and fruits: Vegetables and fruits are a powerful source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and other essential nutrients that keep the heart in tip-top shape. Make sure you don’t overlook their importance.

Cut back on alcohol: alcohol use not only damages your liver but also causes high blood pressure, arrhythmia, and other heart problems. If you are dependent on alcohol or any other drug, it’s time to seek help.

Besides making these resolutions, consume a diet low in salt and saturated fats and high in essential nutrients to boost your heart health. Don’t forget to exercise three to five times a week to strengthen your heart muscles. Once you make these resolutions and stay true to them, you will notice a significant improvement in your heart on your Resting, Stress Test or Holter Monitoring test.

National Diabetes Awareness Month: Self-Care Practices for Diabetic Patients

 

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month- a month to raise awareness about diabetes. Though 10.5% of the U.S. population is diabetic, many individuals are unaware of its potential risks and have lots of misinformation about this chronic condition.

This year, individuals and healthcare professionals are teaming up to get the focus of youth who have diabetes to self-care practices. Here are some tips for youth with diabetes to avoid serious health complications and hospital visits.

Manage Blood Glucose Levels

Children and teens should take the right dose of prescribed medicines at the right time - even when they are feeling good and have achieved their blood glucose and cholesterol goals.

Adopt Healthy Habits

A healthy eating plan, getting enough sleep, and regular physical activities are imperative for individuals who have diabetes, and especially if they are taking insulin. Youth who have type-1 diabetes should always take note of their blood glucose before and after physical activities.

Be Prepared for Emergencies

A basic go-kit with medical supplies and equipment, a medication list (along with doses and dosing schedules), and a health care professional and emergency contact list, helps youth to stay prepared for emergencies.

Monitor Diabetes Complications

Early diagnosis can help reduce the risk of potential health problems, such as heart disease, nerve damage, and vision loss.

Seek Mental Health Support

Encourage youth to connect with other individuals who have diabetes to talk about their concerns and feelings about their chronic condition.

Attend Annual Eye Exams

An annual visit to an ophthalmologist can help catch early signs of retinopathy. It is a condition that causes damage to the blood vessels in the eye and eventually partial blindness or blurred vision.

Celebrate National Diabetes Awareness Month by informing individuals who have diabetes about self-care practices. Also, guide them on how to eat healthily, become more active, and monitor their heart health with an Ambulatory ECG.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month: How to Recognize SCA and Respond?

October is observed as Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month across the nation. According to the Heart Rhythm Society, Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is the cause of more than 350,000 deaths every year. To bring the number down, it is important to understand what SCA is and how to respond to an SCA event.

Sudden cardiac arrest is a treatable condition that doesn’t necessarily lead to sudden death; however, most people often misunderstood it as a massive heart attack. When an individual suffers SCA, they might be fine one minute but collapse the next without any warning signs. Without immediate and proper intervention, the victim may die.

What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest?

Sudden Cardiac Arrest is a medical emergency that occurs when there is a sudden electrical malfunction. SCA causes an abrupt and unexpected loss of heart function. When the heart stops to beat entirely, the individual also experiences a sudden loss of consciousness, breathing, blood circulation to the brain, while other vital organs cease instantly. This medical situation is completely different from a heart attack, where the heart continues to beat, and only the blood supply is compromised. It is crucial to respond immediately; otherwise, the victim may suffer structural brain damage, or even death, within minutes.

What to do if you witness someone in an SCA emergency?

Given the severity of SCA, response time is crucial. You can make the difference between life and death by understanding what to do in such an emergency.

● Recognize Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) - A person suddenly loses consciousness in SCA. Also, normal breathing stops, and you see no signs of life. Instead of waiting for professional rescuers to arrive at the scene, immediately intervene as there might not be enough time. With each passing minute, the chances of survival decrease by 10%.

● Call 911 - It goes without saying - calling 911 should be your first response or better yet, ask someone else to get professional help on the way while you begin treatment.

●   Find and use the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) - If AED is immediately available, apply the electrode pads to the victim’s chest and follow the instructions as shown on diagrams on the AED. The electrical therapy will automatically shock the heart to restore the normal heart rhythm.

●Start chest compressions or CPR - If AED is not immediately available, begin chest compressions and Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

When a bystander initiates these lifesaving tasks, the victim’s survival rate increases from 10 to 50 percent.

Invest in portable EKG machines to take care of your heart during this Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month.

 

National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

Did you know September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month? According to CDC, 19% children in the USA suffer from obesity which is worrisome. Childhood obesity has negative repercussions on the overall well-being and development of children. The condition is particularly troubling as those extra pounds often lead to the onset of serious health issues like Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and depression. Make lifestyle changes in your family to encourage your child to do the same. Eating right and exercising regularly go a long way in reducing childhood obesity. Ensure that your child gets stress EKG or the exercise stress test done, from time-to-time, to keep track of his or her heart health.

When to worry?

Not every child who is plumper than most kids of his or her age is obese. Some children may have body frames that are larger than average. It is also important to know that at different stages of development, children carry different percentages of body fat. So, just by looking at your child, you can’t reallydecipher if you need to be concerned in the first place.

Calculate his or her BMI or body mass index to get a clearer picture. BMI is the measurement of weight in comparison to height and is used to determine if a person is overweight.Your child’s doctor will probably use growth charts and other tests like the stress EKG to figure out if his/her weight falls under an unhealthy range.

Major causes for childhood obesity

With a sedentary lifestyle most families are used to, children get little physical activities. Their calorie intake often succeeds the desired level. They prefer a McDonalds burger over a bowl of veggies, video games over an hour of playing in the backyard. All this sums up in an obese child.Sometimes, hormonal or genetic factors may also be responsible for excessive weight gain among children.

Final words

Since risk factors are immense, it is of utmost importance that parents pay diligent attention to the weight of their children. Treating childhood obesity will ensure your child remains healthy now as well as the future.

Choosing your child’s doctor is also a crucial task. Always prefer a clinic that has efficient stress EKG machine,like the Nasiff CardioStress, among other things.

 

 

American Heart Health Awareness Month: Foods to Avoid For Healthy Heart

It’s a known fact; cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. But the good news is people are now inclining towards a healthy lifestyle to stay in good health. To bring awareness, February is declared as American Heart Health Awareness month. Since 1963, the first Friday of February is celebrated as National Wear Red Day where Americans join the battle against heart conditions. 

It’s a great time to join hands with people who work in hospitals and health care systems and contribute to heart-healthy lives. If you’re not aware of small changes like adopting the well-balanced diet for good heart, we have mentioned them here for you:

· Introduce potassium in your life - Food like sweet potatoes, spinach, bananas, avocado, and acorn squash lower blood pressure and balance the effects of sodium

· The omega-3 fatty acid is good for your heart - To lower blood pressure, decrease inflammation, and prevent plaque buildup, add salmon, tuna, flaxseeds, walnuts, and soybeans to your diet. 

· Make diet enriched with fiber food - Include apple, raisins, raspberries, blueberries, lentils, and oatmeal to your everyday diet. This lowers bad cholesterol, reduces inflammation, and lowers blood pressure.

· Add the goodness of Vitamin B/Folic Acid - Green vegetables like spinach, asparagus, broccoli, and kale are known to lower the levels of homocysteine in the blood. 

Also, there are certain foods such as baked goods and fried food, you must avoid as much as possible to keep your heart healthy. It’s recommended to eliminate the red food completely, however, you can limit its per day consumption to six ounces. 

These healthy habits will help you maintain the health of your health, whether or not you’re a victim of any heart condition. Regularly monitor your heart with the resting ECG system and live a healthy life. 

How Your Weight Affects Your Heart Health

You may have heard of how being overweight contributes to heart disease. But being underweight is just as bad. Heart disease is one of the major causes of death, especially among older people; and research links it with an individual’s weight alongside many other health factors. 

But how does your heart health relate to your weight? Since January is Healthy Weight Awareness Month, we thought of explaining how your body weight affects your heart health.

Heart health and overweight

Increased body weight leads to high blood pressure, which increases the risk of a heart attack, stroke, or even sudden cardiac arrest. Research also indicates that excess weight causes high cholesterol — a key player in heart disease. It is also linked with diabetes, which is another factor to put your heart health at risk. According to experts, if you are overweight, keeping track of your heart health through portable ECG monitoring can inform you about the oncoming of heart disease.

Heart health and underweight

Being obese isn’t the only culprit of heart conditions. People with anorexia — an eating disorder characterized by severely low body weight — also tends to develop heart disease as they lose more weight, says research. Because people with low body mass index (BMI) are not healthy and often malnourished, they are at a higher risk of developing cancer and health problems, including cardiovascular disease. However, some other factors determine the onset of heart disease. 

Final Note

No matter where you fall on the weight chart, whether you are overweight or underweight, your body weight plays a crucial role in determining your heart health. The best course of action, therefore, is to keep a check on your heart health using a portable ECG to monitor the electrical activity of your health. 

If you are looking for a portable ECG monitoring device, Nasiff CardioCard^® PC Based Portable Resting ECG System is a good option to go for. What’s more, on purchase of it, you may stand a chance to get a free product demo and free smart health band that helps you count daily activity.