Your heart is one of the most important organs in your body and you should be doing your utmost to take care of it. There are several easy ways to ensure your heart is strong and healthy, exercise and a balanced diet are just two of them. Here are numerous other ways to safeguard the health of your heart.

Eat Healthy Fats

You may have heard that all fats are bad, and should be avoided like the plague, but this is far from accurate. Lipids or fats are an essential part of a balanced diet along with carbohydrates, proteins, essential vitamins, and minerals. The fats you should be consuming include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, both healthy fats help reduce LDL cholesterol helping to reduce the risk of heart disease. When it comes to saturated fats, the research tends to suggest opting for mono and polyunsaturated as opposed to saturated, but new studies are finding that there are some benefits to eating saturated fats in small amounts. One easy point to remember is to avoid all trans fats.

Dental Health

Your dental health is vital not just for your teeth, but for your heart. Medical practitioners will tell you that patients who suffer from gum disease are at an increased risk of suffering from heart problems. Although research is still ongoing, many are in agreement that studies show bacteria that accumulates in your mouth can make its way into your bloodstream, this causes inflammation in your vessels. The changes to these structures can in turn lead to problems with your cardiovascular system. If you want your heart to stay healthy, it is beneficial to practice good dental hygiene.

Regular Heart Screening

Attending a cardiac screening in Singapore or your local medical centre is important to assess the overall health of your heart. A reputable medical facility will conduct many basic tests to evaluate the state of your cardiovascular system. Most of these assessments will include tests such as.

• Physical Examination
• Blood Pressure Reading
• Weight & Height (BMI Assessment)
• Resting ECG
• Fitness Test (Step or Treadmill Test)
• Cholesterol

The list of tests you’ll encounter during your cardiac screening depends on the type of packages you have paid for.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Sleep is a vital when it comes to leading a healthy lifestyle, the average adult should get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night, if you aren’t getting enough, it can seriously affect the health of your heart. Numerous studies suggest that people who suffer from sleep deprivation are at a greater risk of being diagnosed with cardiovascular diseases. You are also twice as likely to suffer a stroke if you get less than 6 hours sleep.

The health of your heart is vital, so you must take steps to ensure its longevity. Regular screening carried out at least every 6 months or once a year is important. You should also assess your sleeping patterns, are you getting the recommended number of hours? Remember to consume a healthy diet, exercise regularly and take care of your dental health.