The temperatures have started to rise outside and you should be extremely cautious about your heart as well. The steamy weather can prove to be very dangerous for adults, especially the ones who have been suffering from heart diseases and are under medications for serious health conditions like high blood pressure, depression, and much more. Healthy people may also pose a risk if they are not taking precautions. Therefore, you should be aware of the ways to keep your heart healthy during the summer heat.
Heart Diseases in Summer
On days that are hot and sticky, the heart needs to pump faster than usual in order to initiate the sweating stimuli, which will cool the system. For people who have heart disease, this pumping can exert pressure on their cardiovascular system. The worst outcomes normally happen during the heat waves.
Heat exhaustion might also occur when the body is not able to cool itself. This causes fatigue, headache, nausea, confusion, dizziness, and muscle twitching. If these conditions start progressing, they can lead to heat strokes. During heat exhaustion, the pressure of the blood also drops, which can be dangerous.
Tips to Keep Your Heart Healthy during the Summer season
1. Drink lots of water. Add slices of cucumber or pinch of mint in water refrigerate and drink the homemade, cooling beverage. Avoid consuming alcohol and caffeine in the summer season. Keep a check on your urine. If it is yellowish in color, there are chances that your body is dehydrated.
2. It is necessary to dress in accordance with the heat outside. Wearing clothes of lightweight, light colors and breathable fabrics is perfect for beating the heat of the sun.
3. Exercise early during summers, and bring a friend to your workout sessions for safety. You should also exercise indoors on stationary bikes and treadmills. Try staying indoors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. as the heat is maximum during this period.
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4. Avoid junk food during the summers as you may face problems of indigestion. Eat a variety of summer fruits and vegetables that are available in the market. Include lots of berries on your plate and experiment with different seasonal fruits as snacks.
5. Going on vacation is also very important. The stress of your daily life will eventually make your heart tired. Drive to the countryside with your family to refresh your body, heart, and mind.
6. Eat fishes like tuna, herring, or salmon, as they are capable of reducing the risks of chronic heart diseases by almost thirty-six percent. These fishes are rich in fatty acids and Omega 3.
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7. One of the ways to keep your heart healthy during the summer heat is to socialize with like-minded people over a cup of tea or stroll with neighbors. Meeting and chatting with people definitely reduce the stress from the summer heat
8. Most importantly, you should get enough sleep to keep your heart healthy. Studies have revealed that sleeping less can cause inflammation and other health hazards.
You should keep the heart happy at all times so that your body can function normally. Summers can be dangerous, and, you should not neglect yourself. Moreover, pay attention to your diet in the summer. Read further to know diet tips to keep your heart healthy during summer-
Fruits and vegetables heart patients should eat in summer
Banana:
It is rich in potassium and magnesium. Moreover, it helps to lower blood pressure and hence is a great fruit for heart patients.
Apples:
The flavonoids present in apples help to reduce cholesterol, relax the dilating arteries and benefit heart health by bringing down the platelet adhesion in arteries.
Kiwi:
It is rich in vitamin E which, helps to reduce the LDL cholesterol level in the body. Moreover, kiwi is also rich in vitamin C, fiber, and magnesium.
Grapefruit:
This fruit is rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium, a combination of these three minerals helps to improve heart health by reducing blood pressure.
Cantaloupe:
Fruits that are rich in fiber contribute to heart health by reducing bad cholesterol and cantaloupe is one such fruit. It is also rich in fiber, potassium, vitamin B6, and vitamin C.
Zucchini:
This vegetable is loaded with a fiber called ‘pectin’ which promotes heart health and aids in lowering blood pressure.
Avocados:
It is one of the best fruits for heart health as the monounsaturated fats in avocados help reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol. It also helps to destroy free radicals and controls blood sugar which, if not controlled can be dangerous for heart health.
Asparagus:
The folate present in asparagus prevents the growth of homocysteine which is an amino acid responsible for increasing heart diseases.
Broccoli:
It helps in reducing bad cholesterol and promotes heart health.
Spinach:
It is another superfood for your heart as it has everything that your heart needs. It is rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and vitamin B which are beneficial in the development of heart health.
Apart from these fruits and vegetables other summer foods such as oranges, sweet lime, black plums (Jamun), Ice apples, muskmelons, figs, bottle gourds, pumpkin, etc., are good for heart health.
Foods heart patients should avoid eating in summer
Bacon and other processed-meat products:
It increases the LDL cholesterol in the body as more than half part of bacon is unsaturated fat. Moreover, the salt present in bacon can contribute to high blood pressure.
Red meat:
Apart from being hard to digest red meat also contains a high amount of saturated fats which can worsen your heart health by increasing the cholesterol level.
Baked products:
Moreover, bakery products such as cakes, cookies, pastries, muffins, etc., have heavy sugar content which can increase the triglyceride level in the body giving rise to heart diseases.
Sugary and soda soft drinks:
Heart patients should not drink sugary drinks and soft drinks as they are very high in sugar and calories which can lead to weight gain and several heart diseases.
Ref:
https://www.bhg.com/recipes/healthy/heart-healthy/top-10-fruits-for-your-heart-health/
https://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/nutrition/advice/g866/top-summer-foods/
