Heart Patients Can Prolong Their Life By Making This Small Change In Their Lifestyle

Stress is the one of the primary reasons for an unhealthy heart.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. According to a recent study, heart patients should interrupt sedentary time every twenty minutes with a seven minute bout of light physical activity in order to prolong their life. Previous research has shown that being inactive for long periods could shorten life but taking breaks to move around may counteract the risk, particularly if it means burning more than 770 kilo calories (kcal) per day. This study was presented at the annual Canadian Cardiovascular Congress (CCC) in Toronto. The study examined how many breaks, and for what duration, is needed to expend 770 kilo calories. Ailar Ramadi from the University of Alberta in Canada said, "Our study shows that heart patients should interrupt sedentary time every 20 minutes with a seven minute bout of light physical activity."

The study examined how many breaks, and for what duration, is needed to expend 770 kcal.
Photo Credit: iStock

"Simple activities such as standing up and walking at a casual pace will expend more than 770 kcal in a day if done with this frequency and duration," Ramadi added. The study enrolled about 132 patients with coronary artery disease. The average age of the participants was 63 years and 77 per cent were male. Participants wore an armband activity monitor for an average of 22 hours a day for five days. The activity monitor recorded the amount of energy that was spent during breaks from inactivity, the amount of inactive time, and the number and duration of breaks during each sedentary hour.

Also read: Why You Must Lose Belly Fat: Will It Harm Your Heart? Find Out

Ramadi said, "There is a lot of evidence now that sitting for a long periods is bad for health. Our study suggests that during each hour of sitting time, heart patients should take three breaks which add up to 21 minutes of light physical activity." Ramadi further added, "This will expend 770 kcal a day, an amount associated with a lower risk of premature death."

Here are 10 small but effective tips to keep your heart healthy:

1. Healthy diet:

This basic lifestyle change is the first step that you can take if you are suffering from heart diseases. Include fresh fruits and vegetables, proteins, healthy fats in your diet for better health.

2. Physical exercise:

Your body is designed to move. Any sort of physical exercise activity is extremely important for a healthy heart. You can go for a long walk, cycling, aerobics, jogging or even yoga to keep yourself healthy.

You can go for a long walk, cycling, aerobics, jogging or even yoga.
Photo Credit: iStock

3. Stress:

Stress is the one of the primary reasons for an unhealthy heart. In such busy lifestyle, it is difficult to avoid stress but it is essential for better health. In order to keep stress and worries at bay you can practice yoga, breathing exercises or meditation.

Stress is the one of the primary reasons for an unhealthy heart.
Photo Credit: iStock

Also read: 7 Natural Cholesterol Reducers For A Healthy Heart

4. Weight management:

Managing your weight is important in all the stages of life. Obesity can lead to poor health outcomes. Therefore, a healthy and balanced diet and regular physical activity is the key to control your weight. Also avoid the consumption of processed or packaged foods as they are loaded with harmful preservatives.

5. Oral health:

Dental hygiene is a good indication of overall health. People who have gum disease are at a higher risk of heart disease. Make sure that you floss or brush your teeth regularly. This will help ward off the gum diseases.

Also read: Some Functional Foods For Heart Health You Should Know

6. Adequate sleep:

Sleep is a necessary to maintain a healthy heart. Sleep should be your priority. Make sure that you sleep for at least eight hours every day.

Sleep is a necessary to maintain a healthy heart.
Photo Credit: iStock

7. Do not sit for too long:

It is important to move throughout the day. Park your vehicle farther away from the office, take a few shorter walks in between work, and use stairs instead of lift, walk while you are talking on phone to make sure that you can move up and down.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.