How much is your knowledge of heart health? Many of us are fooled by misconceptions since we always believe that heart disease happens to an age group of just the elderly or that unhealthy middle-aged junk food eating neighbour of yours? But what you don’t really understand is that heart disease can also happen to those who eat right or who are young too. There are several myths about cardiovascular disease which is just too dangerous because incidentally cardiovascular disease kills more Americans each year than other diseases. But you can actually improve your heart health by collecting facts and not sitting down with a huge list of misconceptions. Here are some few myths that you can remove from your list.
Myth 1: There will be warning signs if I have high blood pressure
Instead of sticking to your myths and waiting for your body to give you a signal, just simply check your pressure through a simple blood pressure test. It is very dangerous waiting for warning signs because these invariably come too late. So before it becomes worse, test your blood pressure because high blood pressure is one of the reasons for heart attacks, kidney damage and stroke.
Myth 2: Chest pain comes first then heart attack
It is not necessary that chest pain comes with heart attack, You can also be out of breath, experience discomfort in arms, jaw, neck or back and also nausea and lightheaded. When you face such situations just call an ambulance. Precaution is better than cure.
Myth 3: Heart beat stops during heart failure
This is a normal confusion but the fact is cardiac arrest makes the heart beat to stop and not heart failure. Heart failure just doesn’t pump blood properly. It means your heart muscles are weakening. Also, cardiac arrest makes a person unconscious and stops normal breathing whereas; heart failure causes swelling in feet, ankles and shortness of breath, including wheezing and persistent coughing.
Myth 4: Heart disease isn’t for young people
In America at least one in three people have cardiovascular disease. With the uprising of obesity, type 2 diabetes and some other factors, heart disease are now becoming common to young and middle-aged groups. The way you live now determines the risk rate of heart disease in future. In fact, unhealthy eating habits can cause plaque build-up from early childhood that can lead to clogged arteries in early future.
Myth 5: No heart attacks as long as diabetes is under control
This is not true, maybe it can delay heart disease but even then you are still at risk because a factor contributing to diabetes is also more likely to develop heart disease. Risk factors overlapping each other are overweight, high blood pressure, smoking, no physical activity and obesity.
Myth 6: Ignoring cholesterol until middle-aged
The truth is, you should start checking your cholesterol every 5 years after reaching 20. This is especially if you are at hereditary risk of heart disease. You should start checking your cholesterol through a triglycerides test, start eating healthy and exercise regularly.
Myth 7: Aging causes leg pain and not something related to heart disease
The fact is it can be a condition called Peripheral Artery Disease which causes blockage in arteries and increases the risk of heart disease. When such things occur, it should never be neglected and you need to consult your doctor.
Myth 8: One can do nothing if heart disease is hereditary
Even as heart disease may run in the family that puts you at risk of developing it faster through an unhealthy lifestyle. You can still reduce your heart disease risk a lot to nil by being active, not smoking, checking blood pressure time to time, maintaining a healthy weight, controlling cholesterol and sugar and also eating healthy. Avoid processed meats, carbonated drinks, and sugary fruit juices and eat more of veggies, fruits, lean meat and healthy fats.
Myth 9: Avoid exercise after a heart attack
It is completely false. Just start activity as soon as possible. But obviously, you aren’t supposed to overdo it. It is recommended to do physical exercise for at least 2 and a half hours each week. Brisk walking is a good exercise for a heart where 45 minutes is ideal to start with and then increase. Join cardiac rehabilitation centre and consult a healthcare provider.
Myth 10. As long as I am healthy I can eat as much meat as I want
One of the main reasons for poor heart health is bad eating habits. Processed meats are dangerous for the heart and your body too. Moreover too much red meat isn’t good for anybody as it contains cholesterol bad for heart and may also put you at risk of cancer. Studies have shown eating red meat daily triples your risk of chemical levels linked to heart disease.
