By making conscious choices about diet, exercise, mental well-being and environmental awareness, we can promote our cardiometabolic health and moderate the aging trajectory of our cardiovascular system.
“It is now scientifically indisputable and documented in the literature that old age and especially cardiovascular aging is the result of a complex interaction of genetic and hereditary factors and modifiable epigenetic factors, such as lifestyle, physical activity, attitudes and habits of individuals, social interactions and environmental effects.
Proposals and strategies to prevent and deal with this phenomenon of aging have been made public from time to time”, report Mr. Andreas Melidonis Director of Diabetes Center and Karolos Papalazarou Clinical Nutritionist – Dietitianat the Metropolitan Hospital both, who propose 10 strategies to prevent and support heart and metabolic health as the University of Oxford recently chose and suggests:
The 10 strategies:
1. Reduce your waistline and increase your muscle mass
Prioritizing optimal body composition over simply controlling body weight is vital for cardiovascular health.
So take steps to reduce your waistline with exercise and moderate calorie restriction, making sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need. Aim for the waist circumference not to exceed 102cm for men and 88cm for women, because exceeding these limits means that you very likely have metabolic syndrome, which is a particularly dangerous condition for cardiovascular health.
Also increase or maintain your skeletal muscle mass by engaging in resistance exercise.
2. Follow a Mediterranean Diet
Optimizing diet quality while reducing “empty” calories is key to metabolic health.
A diet plan rich in fiber, fish and low-fat dairy products such as the Mediterranean Diet is the best choice. Choose to eat a wide variety of vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and fruits. Avoid refined carbohydrates.
Choose protein sources such as fish, seafood and low-fat dairy and eggs as well as lean cuts of poultry and red meat on an occasional basis, while avoiding processed meat altogether.
Avoid highly processed foods and drinks, rich in “empty” calories, sugars and unhealthy fats. Use extra virgin olive oil as your main fat source, while avoiding animal fats (butter, cream), tropical oils (coconut, palm) and partially hydrogenated fats.
3. Follow intermittent fasting
If you are overweight one option you could try is to try to eat all your meals in an 8-10 hour window during the day as this tactic has been shown in studies to promote rapid weight loss.
Longer periods of fasting should probably be avoided because it may be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular complications.
4. Be physically active every day
Regular physical exercise is vital for cardiovascular health as it leads to a reduction in visceral fat as well as an improvement in glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity, blood pressure and lipid profile.
Get at least 30–60 minutes of daily physical activity, which should include aerobic exercise, strength, flexibility and balance exercises.
Minimize the time you spend sitting during the day and move as often as possible by choosing enjoyable activities in your daily life.
5. Avoid or limit alcohol consumption
Contrary to common belief, that moderate alcohol consumption may have beneficial properties for cardiovascular health, studies have shown that alcohol increases the risk of hypertensive heart disease, cardiomyopathy, atrial fibrillation, and stroke. So avoiding or limiting alcohol is a factor in reducing the risk of cancer, atrial fibrillation and other heart diseases.
6. Do not smoke
Do not use any form of tobacco, including e-cigarettes and vaping.
All forms of tobacco use, as well as passive smoking, significantly damage cardiovascular health by causing inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, prothrombotic state and activation of the sympathetic nervous system. These factors are crucial in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic ischemic heart disease, stroke and heart failure.
7. Prioritize quality sleep
Insufficient sleep duration is a risk factor for the onset and progression of hypertension, atrial fibrillation, ischemic heart disease and dementia. Poor sleep quality contributes to chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, increased oxidative stress, and disturbances in various hormonal factors, including leptin and ghrelin.
Set a relatively early bedtime so that you get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep.
Establish a consistent sleep schedule by creating a sleep-friendly environment and turn off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bed.
8. Exercise and protect your mind
Chronic mental stress and persistent negative emotions can significantly affect cardiovascular health, independent of classic risk factors.
Practice stress reduction through techniques such as meditation or slow deep breathing. Stimulate your mind daily with activities like learning new skills or engaging in artistic pursuits to improve cognitive function and brain health.
Adopt a lifelong mindset of self-awareness and personal growth, seeking new knowledge, experiences and perspectives for spiritual vitality.
9. Cultivate friendship, altruism and compassion
Strong social and family ties are essential for emotional and mental well-being. Conversely, lack of social and emotional support, loneliness, hopelessness and depression significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline.
Cultivate deep relationships with family and friends through empathy, communication and forgiveness.
10. Minimize your exposure to pollution and connect with nature
Air pollution, even at low levels of fine particles, is associated with increased mortality from cardiovascular, respiratory and cancer.
Reduce exposure to pollution, including polluted air, water and noise.
Get out into nature as often as possible. Exercising in unpolluted environments, particularly in parks and wooded areas, offers cardioprotective and psychological benefits.
We conclude that by making conscious choices about diet, exercise, mental well-being, and environmental awareness, we can promote our cardiometabolic health and moderate the aging trajectory of our cardiovascular system.
Let’s give priority to behaviors and actions that support and improve our health and prevent the inevitable effects of time.
Because as the World Health Organization has defined, health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not just the absence of disease or infirmity.
Source :Skai
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