When the heart stops beating in just a few minutes, followed by cessation of blood circulation, our lives are valuable even this will end. That is why the prevention of heart disease and blood vessel is important and action is emphasized.
In general there are five vital signs of a healthy heart.
1. Cholesterol
When compared, the LDL or bad cholesterol is incendiary and HDL or good cholesterol as a firefighter. "A good firefighter is usually able to prevent long term damage," said Roger Blumenthal of Johns Hopkins Cicarone Center.
The higher levels of HDL cholesterol, the lower the risk of ateroklerosis. For a healthy heart, not the bad cholesterol target more than 130 mg / dl and HDL should be higher than 40 mg / dl. HDL levels tended to increase with exercise, lose weight, and eat lots of fiber.
2. Blood pressure
If left unchecked in recent years, high blood pressure can damage arteries throughout the body so that the blood vessel wall will be thickened and rigid and clogged so that blood flow to vital organs is blocked. Optimal blood pressure is lower than 120/80 mmHg.
The variation range of food with a combination of proper nutrition would be beneficial for blood pressure. Various studies have also shown to reduce stress are also effective in lowering blood pressure. Spanish researchers say, the consumption of aspirin every day also reduce levels of systolic pressure 6.8 mmHg and 4.6 mmHg diastolic pressure.
3. Heartbeat
Life is not in your hands, but in your heart. Knowing the number of heartbeats per minute (resting heart rate) is one way to predict the age. In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine noted, men who have a resting heart rate above 75 beats per minute (bpm) three times greater risk of heart attack. Normal pulse is 65 bpm.
"When you do a cardio workout with low intensity and add it into two weeks of high intensity, heart rate per minute will be reduced," says Neal Henderson, sports medicine experts. Do exercise at least 30 minutes with 60-80 percent of the maximum amount of heart rate.
4. Fasting blood sugar
Fasting blood sugar levels is a sign of the presence or absence of diabetes risk. The higher your blood sugar levels, the greater the risk of getting diabetes. "People with diabetes have a greater risk of heart disease, kidney, and eye disorders," said Johanthan Samet, MD, of Johns Hopkins.
To reduce levels of fasting blood sugar, we need to improve the ability of the body use blood sugar, or in other words improving insulin sensitivity. The best way to achieve this is to reduce weight.
5. C-reactive protein
Protein C-reavtive or CRP is a plasma protein produced by the liver as a reaction to an infection, injury, and inflammation. High levels of CRP indicate inflammation in the body. Because heart disease occurs because of inflammation in the arterial wall, CRP can be used as a common marker of heart disease risk.
Increased levels of CRP are usually accompanied by an increase in cholesterol. High CRP levels, ie more than 1 milligram per liter, also associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. CRP measurement is done by taking blood from the elbow or the back of your hand.