Health

Heart attack: Five habits that reduce the risk of a deadly attack by 80% when combined


Heart attack is one of the leading causes of death around the world, with around 1.4 million victims still alive in the UK alone. Risk factors for this condition often include high blood pressure and high cholesterol. A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in 2014, found that combining a good diet, regular exercise, moderate drinking, burning belly fat, and quitting smoking can make 80% reduced risk of heart attack.

The study, carried out at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, aimed to determine how healthy habits affect an individual’s risk, starting with diet.

Healthy diet

It has been well established that following a healthy diet is one of the non-negotiable habits to protect the heart against disease.

To define a healthy diet, the researchers relied on the Recommended Food Scores from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to characterize it.

This includes a minimum of five servings of fresh vegetables and fruit per day, four servings of whole grains, one or more servings of reduced-fat dairy, and a weekly intake of about two servings of healthy fish.

READ MORE: Heart attack: Habit of ‘relaxing’ can significantly reduce the risk of having a heart attack

Quitting smoking

Quitting smoking alone reduced the risk of heart attack by 36% in men who had quit at least 20 years before the start of the study.

This is consistent with results obtained from the Million Women Study, which followed nearly 1.2 million women over the course of 12 years.

In that study, the researchers found that by quitting smoking at age 30 or 40, individuals gained an average of 11 years more life expectancy.

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Reduce visceral fat

Getting rid of belly fat is very important to reduce the risk of heart attack.

This type of fat, also known as visceral fat, is famous because it is located in the midsection of the body, enveloping vital organs.

It releases a chemical that increases the risk of a heart attack, but remains invisible to the eye, unlike subcutaneous fat that can be produced.

There is growing evidence that waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio may provide a clearer indication of health risks than absolute weight.

Physical activity

Physical activity is equally important for reducing the risk of a heart attack.

Research shows that men who walk or cycle for 40 minutes a day and exercise for at least an hour a week have a 3% lower risk of having a heart attack.

Although this number is surprisingly low, exercise has powerful benefits for the cardiovascular system.

It also helps strengthen bones, respiratory system and prevent dementia.

Drink in moderation

Moderate drinking has been shown to reduce the risk of a first heart attack by 11%, which is consistent with other evidence that it can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Research confirms that people who drink in moderation may be healthier than those who abstain from alcohol.

However, researchers are cautious about the benefits of alcohol, because as soon as consumption exceeds two drinks per day, the risk of heart disease and cancer increases dramatically.

It remains difficult to determine whether moderate drinking makes people healthy or whether these people simply tend to become wealthier in general.

Source: | This article first appeared on Express.co.uk



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