Top Health Tips on Improving Heart Health

High blood pressure can develop over many years and affects everyone at some point in life but if not treated for a very long time, it can escalate the risks of a number of cardiovascular problems and chronic kidney disorders.

High blood pressure or hypertension is a condition where the long term force induced by blood on the artery walls may lead to health complications.

Different types of hypertension:

1. Primary Hypertension: High blood pressure caused by genetic, prenatal or other natural causes like aging (people over 60 develop HBP) is known as primary hypertension.

2. Secondary Hypertension: Secondary hypertension is that which is caused due to specific conditions, like kidney disorders, lung disorders etc.

Symptoms Of Hypertension:

It may not show any warning symptoms for several years while it continues to develop. A few tell-tale signs are frequent throbbing headaches, shortness of breath, nosebleeds, excessive sweating but these only occur when there is an extremely serious medical complication.

Complications of hypertension

1. Hypertension can also result in a disorder called aneurysm in which the blood vessels tend to swell and weaken. Rupture of an aneurysm can be fatal.

2. Heart failure is one of the most serious complications associated with hypertension. It becomes increasingly difficult for the heart to pump blood along with the high pressure. Consequently the heart muscle thickens and leads to cardiac arrest.

3. Uncontrolled high blood pressure and interference with your ability to remember and think. It can trigger memory loss and affect your understanding and deriving skills.

4. Persistent high blood pressure can result in atherosclerosis - hardening of the arteries. This can severely wreck cardiovascular health and cause stroke, heart attack or other complications.

The heart is a muscle that pumps blood to the body through a network of arteries and veins controlled by valves. A heart disease could mean a problem in any of these organs, heart per se, the blood vessels, or the valves. Like it or not, heart problem is a chronic condition. It starts without any notice, and for sure, it is not going to go away completely. What can be done, though, is to manage it beautifully and lives and enjoy life so that the heart disease is not stopping you.

When there is a person with the chronic condition, it is not just that person who is affected, but the near and dear ones as well. When heading out for a dinner or when planning a gathering, there would be certain things that need to be accounted for and considered to accommodate the needs of the affected person. These very soon become a way of life and can be done effortlessly.

The following are some things to bear in mind when living with a heart patient.

Diet: Heart patients would have some dietary preferences based on the heart condition per se. This may include a need for more whole grains and vegetables, need for specific types of oils, specific cooking methods, etc. At home, it is essential to ensure these things are always stocked up. When heading out, whether it is to visit someone or out for a meal, take into account whether these would be available. The next best option should be kept in mind so that dietary intake is not affected. Gradually, with time, substitutes can be identified with which they could manage in most places.
Medications: Make sure the medication kit is always readily available. Make sure the person does not miss any medications, whether at home or outside. Ensure the regular medicines are in stock and some common emergency ones are also readily available.
Routine: Whether it is their morning walk or yoga or meditation, it is better to stick to the routine as much as possible. The person also should learn to adapt based on circumstances; however, to the maximum extent possible, these should be continued without major interruption.
Monitoring: Be it blood pressure, sugar levels or weight, these need to be monitored regularly and any deviations should be brought to the notice of the doctor immediately.
Other equipment: Whether it is a walker, inhaler, or a wheelchair, these should be functional and available. The home or the living place should not be cluttered to allow for the easy use of this equipment.
While these may initially require some effort, with time, it would just happen naturally.

The Homeopathic medicines have been made use of even before the 18th century, but the systematic investigation and thorough study on these medicines were carried out by the German physician Samuel Christian Hahnemann. Homeopathic medicines are very useful in strengthening the resistance of an individual to an illness and medications are provided after studying the sick patient and not the disease. The medicines prescribed do not mainly depend on diagnostic testing or blood chemistry analysis. They are, in fact, prescribed on the basis of direct observation of the symptoms reported by a patient.

How effective is homeopathy in treating cardiovascular diseases?
Homeopathy medicines are widely used to treat several medical conditions. Homeopaths prescribe constructional remedies for illnesses that are chronic in nature and these mainly include cardiovascular complaints. It is after understanding the cardiac symptoms of a patient are homeopathic medicines prescribed. The different cardiac complaints for which homeopathic medicines can be taken include congestive heart failure, palpitations, angina and syncope.

Homeopathy medicines are used to treat even many clinical and cardiovascular diseases. Many random trials have been done to prove that homeopathy treatment is effective in treating conditions like childhood diarrhoea, allergic conditions and post-operative conditions. These medicines are also used to treat respiratory, nervous cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems. High blood pressure can also be treated using homeopathy medicines. This is because increased blood pressure is very risky as it can cause heart troubles and there are possibilities of an individual having a stroke.

Cardiac problems that can be Treated By Homeopathy Medicines

Conditions like nervousness and worrying are the main cause of hypertension and it results in high blood pressure. Hence, this condition should be checked on time.
It is very important that the right medications are taken and that are prescribed by a qualified doctor. The homeopathic medicines that are prescribed for high blood pressure include Nux vomica, Calcarea carbonica, Sanguinaria, Plumbum and Phosphorous.
Use of homeopathic medicines, unlike the prescription medicines, does not cause any side effects, and they are of great use in decreasing hypertension.
However, homeopathic medicines should also be taken after consulting the Doctor. The blood pressure and cholesterol level of an individual are lowered using homeopathic medicines, and these are of great use in preventing a heart attack. There are many cardiologists who even prescribe homeopathic medicines to their patients for treating cardiovascular disease. The depiction of cardiac symptoms is quite different and these include bursting, aching, cold, cramps, heaviness, jerks, pulsation, spasm, oppression and throbbing and depending on the symptoms, homeopathic medicines are provided to treat the health condition.

Although a vegetable, garlic is primarily classified as a spice and is used in many dishes across cultures. However, apart from the pungent smell which is the most known characteristic of garlic, it also has medicinal properties and thus, was even used by healers for various ailments before the advent of modern medicine.

Some of the reasons garlic is considered healthy
Garlic is considered healthy for a multitude of reasons. Let's look at some of the ailments that garlic can prevent as well as help in healing.

1. Great against common cold: Garlic and garlic based homemade treatments are great ways to ward of the common cold. Garlic contains the chemical "allicin" which is known to aid health within the body. Having a few cloves or garlic can help you fight the common cold infection.

2. It is known to improve bone health: Garlic is known to be very beneficial for bone health, especially in menopausal women. Women may encounter bone loss during menopause as the production of estrogen is lowered. Garlic encourages estrogen production which can stop bone loss and even protect against bone problems such as osteoarthritis.

3. Is an effective agent in lowering blood pressure: Hypertension is a known killer all across the world. Garlic contains polysulfides which are effective in vasodilation or the widening of the blood vessels and also relaxation of the muscles. This helps blood pressure being lowered within the body and is an effective home remedy if consumed in controlled amounts.

4. Reduces fatigue and is a performance enhancer: Garlic is known to reduce fatigue within people as it controls the heart rate by lowering blood pressure. Whether it is an athletic performance or other physical work related performance requirements, this spice tends to give an extra boost.

5. Controls LDL cholesterol, thereby reducing chances of heart disease: LDL cholesterol, also known as bad cholesterol, is controlled by allicin as it improves liver functions. The liver can then break down LDL cholesterol easily and thus also helps in preventing arteriosclerosis. Garlic is also known to prevent blood clots that lead to heart attacks.

6. Garlic has anti-parasitic and anti-bacterial properties: Garlic has been known throughout the ages to be an affective antibacterial and anti-parasitic agent. Garlic extracts or small amounts of garlic in your diet can help you build up immunity and also kill infections within your system effectively. It is also known to be very effective against tapeworm infestations within the gut.

Sexual problems might mean you have a broken heart, literally. The most common sexual problem in men is erectile dysfunction (ED). Erectile dysfunction affects >30% of men between 40 and 70 years of age. There are several different causes of ED, including depression, low testosterone, neurological problems, and some medications, such as beta blocker but the most common cause is a problem with the blood vessels called atherosclerosis.
Erectile dysfunction is frequently a sign of atherosclerosis, that can be the first clue to heart disease in men. It usually comes 3 to 5 years before a heart attack, so after ED is diagnosed, there is time to treat atherosclerosis and prevent a heart attack.
Sexual Activity and Cardiovascular Disease
Decreased sexual activity and function are common in patients with CVD and are often interrelated to anxiety and depression. In fact research has proved that there is a strong link between erectile dysfunction and heart disease. Studies have shown that if a man has ED, he has a greater risk of having heart disease. For instance, in one study, 57% of men who had bypass surgery and 64% of men hospitalized for a heart attack had had ED.
Several having ED can predict that a man will probably have heart disease symptoms within five years. In fact, having ED is as much a risk factor for heart disease as a history of smoking or a family history of coronary artery disease.
The Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Programme (SHEEP) study of post-MI patients (50% women) found that those who were sedentary had a higher risk of MI with sexual activity (relative risk 4.4) than did those who were physically active (relative risk 0.7).
How is the Heart and ED Related?
Deposition of cholesterol in the arteries causing atherosclerosis is taken as the most important reason for ED as the plaque formation reduces the blood flow in the penis, thereby affecting the erection process. However the latest studies show that ED is also due to the dysfunction of the inner lining of the blood vessels (endothelium) and smooth muscle. This causes inadequate blood supply to the heart and the penis which also aids in arthrosclerosis. Hence ED and heart disease are found to be inter related.
What to do?
If you are suffering from ED or heart disease , it is best to discuss your concerns with a specialist - for the heart a cardiologist and for the ED a urologist.

Milk is nutritious, but sometimes, avid dieters shrink away from consuming milk. It is generally believed that the fat content in milk hinders weight loss. On the contrary, milk has a lot of benefits.

Here are some facts you need to remember before you say no to milk:

Nutrients and milk: Particularly, milk is an excellent source of zinc, vitamin B, protein and most importantly, calcium. So when you ditch milk in your crusade of weight loss, you skip out on calcium, the mineral primarily responsible for good bone health. Some studies suggest that calcium can actually add to weight loss, but this needs more research to back it up.
Health and milk: Previously milk did get a bad reputation when it was linked as a supposed cause of stroke and heart attack. But a recent study produced a result which proved the complete opposite, milk can actually prevent stroke and heart attack! According to research, milk can actually lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Muscles and milk: Milk contains whey and casein protein, both of which are high-quality proteins if you are looking to build muscles. Whey is a fast protein (gets digested faster) while casein is a slow protein (gets digested slowly). Your body gets a good and healthy supply of proteins when you consume milk, so don t write it off just yet.
Fat and milk: As mentioned before, calcium can cause your body to burn fat. There is research pending on it, but the preliminary results suggest that dieters shouldn t skip out on milk. You might argue that you can just consume calcium supplements in that case. However, it has been discovered that other milk proteins to add to fat burning, which you cannot get from supplements. Milk is good for you, but it isn t a miracle weight loss food. So yes, you will need to follow a healthy diet as drinking a glass of milk with a couple of doughnuts will not help you at all.
So, milk is not all evil as people think it to be. It could be good for your weight loss plan. And the best way to incorporate milk into your weight-loss diet is to consume the low-fat skimmed milk variant than the whole fat milk as you get 90 calories from one cup of skimmed milk as compared to 150 calories from whole milk with nearly the same protein and calcium content. This way you get the best of milk without worrying about the fat in it plus an extra fat loss of 1 kg (9000 calories) from 150 cups over the time with a saving of 60 calories in each cup.

Commonly people believe that you can understand your blood pressure is high if you are feeling dizzy suddenly or you are not able to sleep at night. Also sweating profusely is often related to having hypertension. But, to be honest, hypertension usually does not have any symptoms, which might help you get alert and take action to control it. This actually imposes a great threat to your well-being as you do not understand if you have hypertension. It is extremely important for you to keep checking your blood pressure level in order to avoid developing hypertension and hence developing a risk to your heart.

Although there aren't any major or very noticeable symptoms, here is a list of some rare symptoms which you can follow:

1. Headaches: If you are suffering from dull headaches almost regularly, it might be because you blood pressure has increased. The headaches can be a dull buzz or a severe migraine like ache. Keep monitoring your headaches and consult your doctor as soon as possible.

2. Dizziness: You might suddenly feel dizzy or you might feel you are about to pass out if your blood pressure increases. Make sure you refer to a doctor as soon as something like this happens.

3. Nosebleeds: A sudden occurrence of nosebleed might also be a symptom of a sudden increase in your blood pressure.

4. Severe anxiety: Severe anxiety or a panic attack is often referred to as a symptom of hypertension. If you have a sudden panic attack with no apparent reason, it may be because your blood pressure has suddenly risen.

5. Shortness of breath: High blood pressure may often cause a shortness of breath. You might experience it during various every day activity like walking, climbing stairs, etc.

6. Nausea: A sudden increase in blood pressure might make you feel nauseous. You might even vomit when this happens. Make sure you consult your doctor if this happens.

Vitamins are essential micronutrients which the body requires, though in small amounts, for optimal health. These chemicals play a crucial role in keeping our body healthy and disease free.One such vitamin is vitamin K, which is essential for optimal blood clotting process, and also has multiple other benefits. More details about the functions, benefits and sources are listed below.

Functions/Benefits:

Vitamin K is actually a group of vitamins and has K1, K2, and K3. The functions and benefits accordingly will depend on the actual chemical being referred to.
These are fat soluble vitamins and therefore absorption is better when something fatty is eaten along with it
Vitamin K1 or phyloquilline reaches the liver and is essential for blood clotting. Reduced levels of vitamin K can lead to uncontrolled bleeding, but this is very rare in adults. Newborns can have this problem, and therefore, it is common to give them a one shot of vitamin K injection.
Vitamin K2 is produced by gut bacteria and reaches blood vessel walls and bones. It prevents hardening and calcification of arteries, which is the main cause of heart disease.
It helps in improving calcium and other mineral concentration in the bones and makes the matrix strong. It can be used in osteoporosis to reverse and control bone loss. It can also be used to heal fractured bones.
It slows the growth of cancer cells and can be used to stabilise cancer. It has been shown to improve multiple forms including hepatocellular, prostate, colon, and oral cancer.
It is beneficial in controlling Alzheimer s disease and improves memory loss in ageing people
It improves insulin action and therefore prolongs onset of type 2 diabetes
It has been shown to have antioxidant properties (as most other vitamins) and also helps in reducing toxin buildup
It is good for skin health and can help control bruising and dermatitis
Sources:
Vitamin K is found naturally in many foods and the daily dose required for an adult is about 120 to 150 mcg/day. Therefore supplementation is usually not required.
Leafy green vegetables including spinach, okra, cabbage, beans broccoli, and asparagus

Fermented foods like yoghurt
Soybean in all forms including medium cooked as well and Japanese diet uses boiled, fermented soybean called natto, which contains tremendous amount of vitamin K
Nuts, such as cashews, almonds, walnuts, are a good source
Strawberries, grapes, prunes, and apples
Seafood such as salmon and shrimp contain good amount to control heart attack and stroke.
Meat (duck, beef, chicken, and lamb)
Supplements are to be avoided, especially in pregnant and/or nursing mothers and people with a history of stroke, heart disease, heart attack and blood clotting problems.

Women, who have been thinking that cardiac diseases are something that doesn t need much attention, then you have tragically mistaken. As a matter of fact, these are the diseases which most women aren t too aware of. However, it is affecting a lot of women all over the world. The most common issue in cardiology, particularly among women is a heart attack. The first thing that we should know is that Cardiovascular diseases like heart attack are killing as many women as men.

Almost more than 25,000 women are dying all over India every year from a heart attack or other coronary heart diseases. The ratio results show that women are suffering from heart attack three times more than that of breast cancer. The main reason that creates this higher toll is that the disease may be different in women. However, in the case of men, it stays more localised. In the case of women, the disease is diffused and spread out, but it can be treated.

You cannot seek immunity only through pills:
We should be aware of the fact that pills will help you to curb the chance of having a heart attack, but again doctors claim that the risk does hike quite significantly after the menopause in women. The pills in such case can create various side effects and eventually trigger more cardiac diseases. The formation of clots in blood are created by different kinds of hormonal contraception, which is the main reason for a potential heart attack in women.

Heart attack symptoms in women:
We all know that the classic heart attack symptoms include severe pressure on the chest and extreme chest pain. However, these symptoms can be quite subtle in case of women. So, here we are listing down 4 of the most common symptoms of heart attack for women and those are:

Fatigue
Shortness of breath
Throat pain and jaw pain
Pain in arms may be in one or both
If you experience any one of these symptoms even, make sure that you go for a check immediately. Take quicker action as each minute that goes on during a heart attack is creating the death of a heart muscle.

Smoking doubles the risk of a heart attack in women
According to experts in cardiology, the most important fact that triggers a heart attack in women is smoking, which increases the blood pressure and causes the blood to pile up in your blood vessels, reducing the good HDL cholesterol which clots the blood and eventually results in a heart attack.

You must be wondering about the favourable chances of having a heart attack for women. The fifth and final thing to know about a heart attack is that women who are weighing thirty pounds or more have more chances of heart attack.

Turmeric is widely used in cooking spicy dishes all over the world. But there are several pieces of research, which prove the efficacy of turmeric or haldi in warding off ailments like dementia and reduce the risk of cancer to a great extent. Turmeric has the highest usage in countries like India and Sri Lanka followed by other parts of the planet.

As per the results of the World Alzheimer s Report, it is found that only about 3.6 percent of South Asians aged above 60 suffer from dementia which is quite lower than 6.4 percent of people in Australia as well as 7.2 percent of people in Western Europe. In similar lines, the World Health Organisation says that the rate of cancer patients is lower in India in stark comparison to the higher rates of more developed countries. If an individual is looking for the benefits of turmeric, he would come across several reasons to add more turmeric to foods on a daily basis.

Reduces the risk of cardiac problems: Curcumin present in turmeric can have a positive effect on people suffering from high cholesterol. Animal studies opine that it can considerably lower down cholesterol levels as well as prevent building up off LDL or bad cholesterol. Thus, it is a viable means of preventing plaque build-up which in turn may block the arteries and lead to strokes and cardiac arrests.
Fights inflammatory diseases: The anti-inflammatory qualities of turmeric can work as a potential anti-inflammatory medication without causing any unwanted side effects. It is also helpful in treating minor nicks and cuts and it can be administered with warm milk to heal any kind of inflammatory disease inside the body. There has been a study which showed turmeric to be useful in treating pain and disability stemming from osteoarthritis. Turmeric is also found helpful in combatting seasonal flu and viral infections.
Helps in digestion and supports weight loss: Turmeric stimulates the gall bladder which in turn produces bile. As bile helps in digestion of fat, health experts are of opinion that turmeric improves overall digestion and may also aid in controlling weight. It is useful in treating bloating and excessive gas formation caused by improper digestion.
Helps in maintaining blood sugar levels: Turmeric plays a crucial role in improving glucose control as well as controlling activities of insulin. It has the potential to bring about a drop in blood sugar levels. So, an individual with high blood sugar should add optimum amounts of turmeric in diet along with diabetes medication to help in reducing the blood sugar levels. But it is important to monitor the sugar levels continually to avoid conditions like hypoglycemia which is characterised by sugar levels dropping lower than required.
In addition to all these, there is a clear indication that turmeric helps in cancer prevention, reducing breast cancer, skin, and pancreatic problems along with multiple myelomas and juvenile leukemia.