A few ways to avoid Heart Disease

The coronary arteries are small vessels `that fan out over the heart and feed it with blood, enabling the heart to pump an average of five litters of blood to the various organs around the body. When these arteries are damaged or constricted, the heart muscle becomes starved for blood, resulting in crippling chest pain, called angina, and lethal heart attacks.

Quit smoking

Smoking accounts for 20% of all cardiovascular deaths. Once you quit, your risk of CHD drops by 50% within 12 months. After 15 years, risk of dying from CHD drops to nearly the same as non-smokers.

Eat healthy

Eat more vegetables, fish and grains. Use less oil and ghee. Foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol can raise levels of cholesterol in the blood and blocks arteries.

Reduce intake of salt

Foods high in sodium, soya sauce and monosodium glutamate, contribute to high blood pressure, increasing the risk of stroke. High blood pressure is often symptomless, making it crucial to have a simple blood pressure test.

Be active

People who exercise-even as little as three 10 minute session of vigorous activity a day-can decrease their risk of heart attack by 40%.Three 10 minute sessions a day can improve heart health-and maybe even better than doing it all at once. The reason for the short sessions being new more effective is, exercise ups resting metabolism. Doing another workout before it comes down may boost metabolism even higher, clearing fats from blood faster. To get the benefit, take a 10 minute walk before each meal.

Avoid stress

Job-related stress is a risk factor for heart disease. Find time to relax, try yoga and meditation.
Lead your kids in the right path
Parents are the first line of defence in protecting their children from heart disease later in life. This can be achieved by serving healthy food at home and limiting junk food. To help children maintain a healthy weight, encourage them to be physically active instead of sitting in front of the computer or TV. This helps them to carry healthy habits into adulthood.

Get regular checkups

This advice is valid for everyone, especially if you have a close relative who died from heart disease or stroke before age 60. This puts you at more risk.