The heart, a vital organ, is aging faster than the rest of us in modern times primarily due to lifestyle-related factors. Adopting a new lifestyle can significantly alter the way our body organs function and respond to daily activities. Heart disease, often termed a lifestyle disease, has been increasingly prevalent in recent years with unhealthy dietary habits, environmental challenges, and elevated stress levels being major contributors to cardiac problems.
Why is our heart aging faster?
With a fast-paced lifestyle, today, we are overly exposed to certain unhealthy habits that directly affect heart health. We are placing more stress on our bodies by not getting enough sleep, overeating, and neglecting an active lifestyle. In the past, older generations used to walk 4 to 5 km to work and back, lift heavy weights, eat healthy meals, sleep early, and rise early to lead a healthier life.
Dietary factors have accelerated the aging of the heart as we often consume a high-fat diet or fast food items that contain higher amounts of salt, saturated fats, carbohydrates, and less protein. With this, the shift towards a sedentary lifestyle has taken a toll on our overall health as our calorie intake remains high, but expenditure is low, leading to excess weight and obesity and increased stress on the heart.
Poor control of blood sugar levels and blood pressure with less attention paid to regular check-ups adds to further deterioration of our heart health, increasing the chances of heart-related complications. Not just that, higher stress levels are now more common than in older generations and are major contributors to heart disease, including hypertension. Pollution and smoking rates have also increased, negatively impacting our heart health.
Steps to slow down the aging of your heart:
To keep your heart healthy and aging at the same pace as you, it's important to relax and follow healthier lifestyle choices.
Sleep is important. Have a good quality of sleep every night to help regulate blood pressure and reduce stress-related impacts on the heart. Weight management through regular exercise can reduce your risk of obesity and diabetes, while also strengthening the cardiovascular system. When it comes to dietary changes, reduce the intake of fast foods, sugar, and salt-containing food and focus on fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish, etc. It is important to lower stress levels through activities like yoga, meditation, and mindfulness which can also help keep our peace of mind. Try to avoid other habits like alcohol consumption and smoking as they are not at all good for our overall health, not just heart health.
With the above-mentioned preventive measures followed, we can ensure that the heart ages gracefully along with us not faster than us.
Dr. Keshava R, HOD & Consultant – Cardiology, Manipal Hospital, Old Airport Road
Why is our heart aging faster?
With a fast-paced lifestyle, today, we are overly exposed to certain unhealthy habits that directly affect heart health. We are placing more stress on our bodies by not getting enough sleep, overeating, and neglecting an active lifestyle. In the past, older generations used to walk 4 to 5 km to work and back, lift heavy weights, eat healthy meals, sleep early, and rise early to lead a healthier life.
Dietary factors have accelerated the aging of the heart as we often consume a high-fat diet or fast food items that contain higher amounts of salt, saturated fats, carbohydrates, and less protein. With this, the shift towards a sedentary lifestyle has taken a toll on our overall health as our calorie intake remains high, but expenditure is low, leading to excess weight and obesity and increased stress on the heart.
Poor control of blood sugar levels and blood pressure with less attention paid to regular check-ups adds to further deterioration of our heart health, increasing the chances of heart-related complications. Not just that, higher stress levels are now more common than in older generations and are major contributors to heart disease, including hypertension. Pollution and smoking rates have also increased, negatively impacting our heart health.
Steps to slow down the aging of your heart:
To keep your heart healthy and aging at the same pace as you, it's important to relax and follow healthier lifestyle choices.
Sleep is important. Have a good quality of sleep every night to help regulate blood pressure and reduce stress-related impacts on the heart. Weight management through regular exercise can reduce your risk of obesity and diabetes, while also strengthening the cardiovascular system. When it comes to dietary changes, reduce the intake of fast foods, sugar, and salt-containing food and focus on fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish, etc. It is important to lower stress levels through activities like yoga, meditation, and mindfulness which can also help keep our peace of mind. Try to avoid other habits like alcohol consumption and smoking as they are not at all good for our overall health, not just heart health.
With the above-mentioned preventive measures followed, we can ensure that the heart ages gracefully along with us not faster than us.
Dr. Keshava R, HOD & Consultant – Cardiology, Manipal Hospital, Old Airport Road
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