Dr. Somashekar Clinic

High blood pressure, which is also called hypertension, increases your risk of developing many serious health problems, including heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. There are healthy lifestyle habits you can develop to help prevent hypertension and reduce your risk of high blood pressure-related health problems in the future.

Your heart is the most important and vital organ of all and regulates the flow of heart to all parts of the body. Thus, the valves and the arteries which take the blood to your heart are also an important component in ensuring that the circulation is constant. Thus, any hindrance to this process will put a lot of pressure on your heart and lead to more serious problems in the long run. Coronary artery disease is one such problem and can seriously put the health of your heart at risk.

What is coronary heart disease?
Coronary arteries are very important blood vessels, which carry nutrients, blood and oxygen to your heart. If the level of bad cholesterol is high in your blood, it will start leaving deposits on the walls of the arteries which are commonly known as plaque. This plaque will start building up over time causing blockage of the arteries and disrupting proper blood flow. Excessive build up of the plaque may then rupture the lining of the plaque. This will then induce blood clotting and further prevent the normal flow of blood.

Symptoms
Primary symptoms may include

1. Shortness of breath: This may occur while you are exercising or performing activities which are mildly exerting.
2. Heart beats very hard and fast: Your heart may beat very hard and fast, especially when doing everyday activities such as climbing stairs or walking for a prolonged distance.
3. Angina or chest pain: You may experience pain in your chest as if someone was pressing against it with a lot of force. Angina is also triggered due to stressful activities or even emotional stress. It usually occurs on the left or the middle of the chest and may even be felt in the back, arms, and neck.
4. Heart attack: Heart attacks are the most common and the most serious complications of coronary heart disease. You would feel extreme pain, akin to crushing on your chest, shoulder, or arm. It may even be accompanied by jaw pain, and sweatiness.

Treatment
Non invasive forms of treatment are always preferable rather than invasive surgeries or procedures to treat coronary heart disease, especially where the risk of serious complications such as heart attack are still on the lower side. Some of the treatments used for coronary heart disease are as follows:

1. Making lifestyle changes: Quit smoking, reduce alcohol consumption along with consumption of regulated diet will automatically start cleaning plaque that has built up within the arteries. Losing weight also tends to help.
2. Medications: Special medications can take care of cases wherein the deposits are still lesser and the plaque buildup can be removed without the requirement of extensive surgery. Anti-cholesterol medications are one example of this.
3. Surgical procedures: These are usually employed when the blockage is severe and cannot be corrected by the conventional methods mentioned above. Some of the procedures are angioplasty, stent replacement, as well as coronary artery bypass surgery.

Exercise is one of the best things one can do for themselves to stay fit and healthy. Regular exercise will always be a great idea for the normal functioning of the body. 

Exercises play a vital role in controlling or minimizing heart issues. They greatly help in maintaining good blood circulation. They are also helpful in maintaining blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, and increasing energy levels. 

Exercises do help to prevent heart disease, but it is important to do right exercises in right amount.

How Often and How Long Should One Exercise?

If the person is not active, 20 to 30 minutes of Aerobic session for at least four times a week is good enough. However, the more the person can do, the better the result will be. 

If a person is already physically active, more exercise time is recommended, to really tone the body.

The amount of exercise also depends upon stamina of the particular person.

What type of Exercise is Beneficial for Heart Disease?

For heart disease, one can always go for exercises that make fasten the heartbeat.

Exercises like Cardio, Weight Lifting and Aerobics are one of the best exercises for heart diseases. For those, who are looking for exercises for joint problems as well, swimming and walking are good options.

Some of the Best Exercises for Heart Diseases:

1. Cardio Exercises

The Cardio exercises fasten the heartbeat and also lower down the blood pressure level. Depending upon the prescription of the cardiologist, one can perform Cardio exercises like Walk, Jog, Jump rope, Bicycle, Skipping, Skate, Row, Dance, etc.

2. Aerobics

Aerobic exercise like biking, swimming, playing soccer and hiking uphill, can help in increasing heart rate, decreasing blood pressure and improving blood circulation. These may also be effective in lowering blood sugar.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every adult should get at least two hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity Aerobic exercises per week.

3. Strength training

Resistance training or Strength training is another way to lower the risk of heart diseases. Performing strength training twice a week will help in decreasing the bad cholesterol and raising good cholesterol. 

Ideally, strength training is combined with Aerobics in sets with 8-12 repetitions. 

Some of the strength training exercises are lifting free weights, exercise with resistance bands, pushups, sit-ups, squats, lunges, crunches, etc. 

Why Yoga? A promising way to prevent Heart Disease

• According to Cunningham, who has taught Yoga for 40 years, it can be used as a preventive measure for heart diseases. 
• Yoga can help improve respiratory function, increase heart rate, boost circulation, lower blood pressure, increase lung capacity, and muscle tone.
• Yoga can also be beneficial for those who have faced Heart attack or Cardiac arrest. Most patients go through depression after Bypass surgery; Yoga also helps to get rid of depression and anxiety. It also helps in reducing emotional stress. 
• Some of the effective Yoga Postures are Boat Pose (Paripurna Navasana), Extended Triangle Pose (utthita trikona), Feathered Peacock Pose (pinca mayura), Handstand (adho mukha vrksasana), Hero Pose (veer-AHS-anna), Low Lunge, Supported Headstand (salamba alamba sirsa), and many more.
• Yoga and other exercises help in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. However, one should always consult a trainer or doctor before doing these exercises. Also, these exercises should always be accompanied by a healthy diet, to really make these exercises effective. Eating a burger after a Yoga session is never going to be a good idea.