Heart health: How to reduce heart attack risk during festive season? 5 tips to follow

During festive season, it is imperative to pay heed to the health. Here are simple yet effective strategies to reduce risk of heart attack, maintain healthy cholesterol levels too.

Written by: Jigyasa Sahay

Published: October 23, 2024, 2:32 PM IST

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https://www.india.com/health/heart-health-how-to-reduce-heart-attack-risk-during-festive-season-5-tips-to-follow-7344077/ Copy

Ways to protect heart health during festive season (Freepik)

The festive fervour, the festive joy and the festive happiness is what we all are drenched with. This is that time of the year when the gourmet is simply irresistible. The choices of food and lifestyle that we make during the season of joy can have consequences too. While it is important to take a break and enjoy life, it is also essential to pay equal attention to you health. Often, the delicacies and the festive indulgence lead to increased levels of bad cholesterol, irregular sugar levels, that may risk you for an heart attack and other major health problems. Sedentary lifestyle, dehydration also adds on to it. Here are few simple strategies that can effectively aid in managing the heart health.

5 tips to keep heart healthy during festive season

1. Hydrate: This is a universal and the golden rule to good health. Keep your body hydrated at all times. During festive season, the junk and fried indulgences may lead to dehydration. Keeping body up with suffice fluids can help to maintain diabetes levels, cholesterol control and help in better kidney function. Hydrated body flushes out the harmful toxins.
2. Heart healthy diet: Supplement your festive foods with high fibre and protein foods. It will help to keep the stomach full longer and build the nutrient profile. Consult a medical professional for a heart healthy diet for people recovery from heart issues.
3. Portion control: While the traditional festive season food is hard to resist, a certain amount of portion control is imperative. Keep a check on what you are eating, how much you are eating. Fried foods, processed food, junk, can tend to increase cholesterol, LDL levels. This causes plaque formation restricting oxygen and blood flow. In addition to it, portion control will reduce risk of developing digestive issues which is also common during these times.
4. Quick exercise routine: Festive season or no festive season, staying active is a key rule to a healthy and happy lifestyle. Incorporate atleast 30 minutes of yoga, meditation, cardio, walking or some exercise routine. It helps to manage stress, and overall health too.
5. Smart swaps: Use natural sweeteners like honey, gud or opt for brown sugar to make sweets. Olive oil and healthy cooking oils can help reduce heart ache. Try to snack on makhanas, nuts and dry fruits. Opte for baked goods, roasted items. One can also try making yoghurt based dip to reduce risk unhealthy fat that can be found in certain dips.

Following these simple lifestyle changes can reduce risk of heart issues. These practises may help in keeping the overall health fit and better. However, different things work differently for people. Therefore, proper body awareness is essential. Consult medical professional to have a dedicated plan for festive season.