Heart failure is a leading cause of death and hospitalization in the United States. Congestive heart failure (CHF), specifically, is a condition in which the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. While there is no cure for CHF, there are things that you can do to prevent it.
Making lifestyle changes is the best way to prevent CHF. These changes include eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, quitting smoking, and managing stress. Read the below paragraphs to have a brief detail about these things and how you can incorporate them into your lifestyle.
1. Keep Your Blood Pressure in Check
Let’s first get some things straight. Most people think that heart failure and heart attack are the same. But that’s not the case. To understand the difference, you must first know what is heart failure, and how and when it occurs.
This condition occurs when your heart is unable to pump enough blood to your body. Symptoms of congestive heart failure include shortness of breath, fatigue, and swelling in your feet, legs, and abdomen. That’s why you will have to keep your blood pressure in check to prevent the risk of getting heart failure.
You can control it by making lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and exercising regularly. There are also some effective medications available that can help you keep your blood pressure controlled.
2. Make Exercise a Routine
Most people know that exercise is good for the heart. But did you know that exercise can actually help to prevent congestive heart failure? Congestive heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump blood efficiently. This can lead to a build-up of fluid in the lungs and other organs and can eventually be fatal.
By keeping the heart strong and healthy, exercise can help to reduce the risk of this condition. Exercise moderates your blood pressure and ensures an adequate supply of blood to your body. This ultimately decreases the chances of heart failure even when you are in old age.
3. Manage Your Stress Levels
Stress releases cortisol hormone in your body, which is actually important for maintaining normal blood pressure and the functioning of other body parts. However, when you experience stress for longer periods, high concentrations of cortisol are released, which eventually results in increased blood pressure.
It also increases blood sugar levels and leads to chronic high blood pressure (hypertension). All of this combines to cause heart failure in adults who are eating healthy and are physically fit. To overcome this problem, you will have to manage your stress levels to normal throughout the day.
There are many different ways to manage stress, and what works for one person may not work for another. However, some stress-management techniques that have been shown to be effective include yoga, meditation, and exercise.
If you are struggling to manage your stress, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional to find a treatment plan that is right for you.
4. Take the Right Medications
Certain medications can contribute to heart failure. So. It’s important to take the right medications by first consulting your doctor. There are many different medications available to help prevent congestive heart failure, and your doctor will work with you to find the best one for you.
Some of these medications can help by reducing the amount of work that the heart has to do. Other medications can help by reducing the amount of fluid in the body. And also, there are medications that can help by improving the overall functioning of the heart.
Talk to your doctor about your condition, so they will prescribe medications that are the right fit according to your underlying heart conditions.
5. Don’t Smoke and Avoid Passive Smoking
Studies have shown that smoking is a major risk factor for CHF and that even exposure to secondhand smoke can increase our risk. So, the first thing you will have to do is quit smoking. And once you have quit it, also make sure to avoid places where people are smoking.
According to studies, it has been found that passive smoking is more injurious to health than first hand smoking. The smoke leaving the cigarette and the carcinogens in it contribute to damaged lung and respiratory tract health.
Also, these chemicals can lead to the compression of arteries, which ultimately leads to heart disease and heart failure in severe cases. So, your best bet should be to avoid smoking at all costs.
6. Manage Your Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition that affects millions of people around the world. If left unmanaged, it can lead to a number of serious health complications, including congestive heart failure. Fortunately, there are things you can do to manage your diabetes and reduce your risk of developing congestive heart failure.
These include eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and taking medication as prescribed. If you have diabetes, it’s important to work with your doctor to create a treatment plan that’s right for you. By taking these steps, you can help prevent congestive heart failure and enjoy a healthier, happier life.
7. Ditch Alcohol and Get Enough Sleep
Cutting out alcohol use is one of the best things you can do for your heart health. Not only will it help reduce your risk of congestive heart failure, but it will also lower your blood pressure, improve your cholesterol levels, and help you maintain a healthy weight.
All of these factors will contribute to better cardiovascular heart, which in turn prevents congestive heart failure.
Along with quitting alcohol, it is also advised to get enough sleep. For busy adults, it is advised to get an average of 8 hours of sleep every night. That’s because being sleep-deprived will lead to hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, all of which are leading causes of cardiovascular diseases.
By following all the above-mentioned useful things, you will be able to get a healthy heart and minimize the risk of congestive heart failure.
