The phrase ‘cardiovascular health’ gets thrown around every single day. We see it in news headlines, on the TV, and even plastered on the sides of buses and cabs.
Seeing something so often can reduce the impact on us when we see it, but cardiovascular health isn’t something to ignore. Even today, in 2022, poor cardiovascular health takes the lives of 18 million people every year – 660,000 of them in the United States alone.
The longer you neglect your cardiovascular health, the longer you risk a potential heart attack, stroke, or painful disease. Understanding the context behind cardiovascular health and its best practices will make a world of difference in your overall well being.
Defining cardiovascular health
Cardiovascular health, also known as heart health, measures the strength and efficiency of your vascular functions. This includes your heart, circulatory system, and blood vessels, among other things. A variety of factors contribute to your cardiovascular health, including your diet, metabolic health, physical activity, smoking habits, and genetic disposition.
A person cannot be diagnosed as ‘vascularly unhealthy’ without checking certain metrics first.
There are five major markers that may signify problems in your heart health, including:
- The diameter of your waist
- Your percentage of body fat
- The resting state of your glucose
- Your blood sugar or insulin levels
- Triglyceride:HDL ratios (Cholesterol)
People with at least three metrics that fall outside of a normal range may be at risk of heart disease. However, even one measurement that spikes too high or drops too low could create a domino effect on the rest of your metrics, wreaking havoc on your heart health.
Reasons to consider heart disease prevention
Studies suggest that nearly nine in ten Americans are metabolically unhealthy. That includes 90% of the population: almost 300 million people and counting.
In the United States, the signs and symptoms may not be obvious until the worst stages of illness.
Those suffering from the long-term effects of poor cardiovascular health may find themselves struggling with lifelong conditions, such as:
- Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
- Angina (chest pain)
- Cardiomyopathy
- Type II diabetes
One of the most dangerous aspects of cardiovascular health is that it’s not always obvious without testing for certain factors. Even if you feel strong and healthy, you may not necessarily have a healthy heart. For this reason, it’s critical to look for ways to maintain or improve your cardiovascular health over time.
Ways to improve cardiovascular health
The old saying is true: health is wealth. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle will make a world of difference for your heart as you age, and reduce risk factors associated with strokes, diabetes, and heart attacks.
There are several steps you can take today that work on improving heart health over time:
- Cardiovascular training is an excellent way to strengthen your heart muscle and improve circulation. I recommend spending two or three days a week focusing on all muscle groups. HIIT is efficient for those with shorter timeframes, but be sure to practice good joint safety along the way.
- I cannot stress enough how important your diet is for sustained cardiovascular health. Eat foods that are low in carbohydrates and sugar to stabilize your blood glucose and lose unwanted pounds. As always, I recommend eating foods that either grow in the ground, or which eat what grows in the ground. That means animal products, vegetables, low sugar fruits, and a good amount of healthy fat from sources such as animal fats, avocados, coconuts, and olive oil.
- Sleep is another essential piece of the cardiovascular puzzle. Most people need between seven or eight hours of sleep each night to function properly. Sleeping too lightly or too little can have negative consequences, and is scientifically associated with high blood pressure and elevated triglyceride levels. Consider going to bed and waking up at the same time each day to improve your sleep habits, and aim for a minimum of seven hours per night.
By taking the right actions, it’s possible to see improvements in your heart health in less than a month. However, keep in mind that cardiovascular wellness is less of a destination and more of a mindset. The longer you work toward wellness, the stronger your heart will be – and the lower your risk factors will be.
Best methods of monitoring cardiovascular health
As you have learned, it’s not always simple to gauge current levels of cardiovascular health. You could be getting all recommended amounts of sleep, exercise, and nutrition, yet still be falling short of your goals.
In my experience, Dr. Google is not a good primary physician. If you’re serious about improving, tracking, or monitoring your cardiovascular health, it’s important to speak with an actual doctor as soon as possible. This will allow you to set some base metrics for your body and schedule blood labs to monitor any changes in your heart health over time.
You can use my Heart Wellness Calculator to quickly check your cardiovascular health for free. You’ll also receive some follow-up suggestions, so if you’re not sure where to start, you can work from the guidelines provided.
It’s never too late to work toward cardiovascular wellness. Take control of your heart health today and Stay Off My Operating Table®.