12 Ways to Lower Your Heart Disease Risk Without Taking Pills
In this article, we will cover the ten ways to lower your heart disease risk without taking pills.
By following these tips, you can help reduce your risk of heart disease and improve your overall health.
Heart disease is one of the major causes of death in the UK, and it can be caused by a variety of factors including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity. 
While medications can help reduce your risk of heart disease, there are many other things you can do to improve your health and lower your risk.
Most people think that you can pop a pill and instantly lower your risk of heart disease, but this isn’t the case. In fact, there are many things you can do to reduce your risk without taking any pills at all.
Here are ten ways to lower your heart disease risk:
Quit Smoking
One of the best things you can do for your health is to quit smoking.
Smoking increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, and a host of other health problems.
This is because smoking causes a stiffening of the arteries, which can lead to poor circulation.
Although it might be hard to quit smoking, the benefits are immense and you should try your best to quit as soon as possible.
Studies have shown that if you quit smoking, your risk of heart disease decreases significantly within a year.
Exercise Regularly
Another great way to reduce your risk of heart disease is to exercise regularly. Exercise helps to improve circulation and strengthen the heart muscle.
It also helps to control weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels, all of which can increase your risk of heart disease.
Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise per day, five days per week.
You can split this up into three 10-minute sessions if you prefer.
Here's a list of the different exercises you could do to help:
- Brisk walking is good for overall cardiovascular health and is a good starting point for those who are new to exercise.
- Running is a great way to improve your heart rate and burn calories.
- Cycling is a good option if you don’t want to run or walk. You also get to see the great outdoors!
- Playing a team sport gives your heart a good workout. It’s also great fun if you have friends who are keen to join in.
- Swimming is another excellent form of exercise that helps strengthen muscles and improve cardiovascular health. If you don’t like swimming, try aquafit or water aerobics classes.
- Yoga can help improve flexibility and strength. It also helps to promote relaxation and stress relief.
- Tai Chi is a slow, gentle form of martial arts that can help improve balance and coordination.
The exercise you choose will vary depending on your interests and abilities. However, the most important thing is to find something you’ll enjoy doing so that exercise becomes a habit rather than a chore.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Eating a healthy diet is important for your overall health.
When you eat lots of fruit and vegetables, you’re giving your body all of the vitamins and nutrients it needs to function properly. In fact, eating five portions of fruit and vegetables every day will help reduce your risk of heart disease by up to 22 percent.
Eating oily fish such as salmon also helps – one study showed that men who ate 3-4 servings of fatty fish per week reduced their risk of dying from heart disease by 36 percent.
Make an effort to cook more of your own meals at home, rather than eating out. It is usually cheaper, healthier, and you can probably eat more than you would in restaurants or fast food joints.
If you do want to go out for dinner, try sticking to healthy options like grilled chicken salad.
Track Your Weight
Keeping track of your weight is another important way to lower your risk of heart disease.
While there isn’t necessarily a specific weight that puts you at risk, studies have shown that maintaining a BMI (body mass index) between 18-25 is best for reducing the risk of heart disease. …
Cut Out Sugar
Sugar acts like sandpaper on our insides – that’s why it’s such a bad idea to drink sugary drinks like Coke or Pepsi.
The sugar in these drinks can damage the arteries and increase your risk of heart disease.
It’s also important to avoid processed foods that are high in sugar, such as candy bars, cakes, and cookies.
People don't realise just how much sugar is in processed foods. Reading labels is important, as it could save your life!
Eat Good Fats
Fats are an essential part of a healthy diet, but you need to choose good fats over bad ones.
Avoid saturated fats like butter and lard, which can increase your risk of heart disease, and opt for monounsaturated fats instead (e.g., olive oil).
Aim for around 20 percent of your daily energy intake coming from fat.
Other heart-friendly foods include extra virgin olive oil, walnuts, flaxseeds, oatmeal, avocado, salmon, sardines, yogurt to name a few.
Limit your intake of salt
By limiting how much salt you eat, you can reduce your risk of heart disease. Salt makes you retain fluid, which increases blood pressure and the workload on the heart.
Adults should consume no more than 6 grams of salt per day (2.4 grams of sodium), which is roughly 1 teaspoon.
Children aged between 1 and 3 years old should ingest no more than 2 grams of salt each day (0.8 g of sodium) 4 to 6 year-olds should eat no more than 3 grams a day (1.2g chloride, cholesterol) and children aged 7 and over should eat no more than 5 grams a day (2g of sodium).
Eat more potassium-rich foods
Another great way to lower your risk of heart disease is to increase your potassium intake.
A banana is one of the most calorie-dense foods on earth, with only a few grams of protein and fat.
They contain little or no protein or fat. Green, unripe bananas have carbohydrates primarily in the form of starch and resistant starch.
Limit Alcohol Intake
Drinking too much alcohol can also increase your risk of heart disease. Alcohol can raise blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and it can also lead to obesity.
Try to limit your alcohol intake to two drinks per day at the most. If you don’t drink alcohol, that’s fine – there’s no need to start just for the sake of reducing your risk of heart disease.
Exercise Your Mind
Staying sharp mentally is also important for reducing your risk of heart disease.
Keeping your mind active and engaged helps you to ward off depression and anxiety, which can both increase your risk of heart disease.
You could try learning a new language, picking up an instrument, or joining a book club to keep yourself mentally stimulated and engaged.
Get enough sleep each night
Ensure you get enough sleep each night to stay healthy. Lack of sleep can increase your risk of heart disease, along with many other negative health effects. …
There are so many positive benefits of getting a good night's sleep, and reducing your risk of heart disease is just one of them.
Be Proactive About Preventative Care
Finally, make sure you get regular checkups and screenings for health problems like cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
Regular care means any existing conditions will be caught before they become worse.
If you do notice anything while receiving treatment, let the physician know so they can take action immediately.
That way you won’t have to worry and you will be able to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
These ten steps should help reduce your risk of heart disease and keep you healthy for years to come. …
Wrapping Up
In the article, we've given you ten steps to help lower your risk of heart disease.
These tips are easy and could make a big impact on your health over time. It's never too late to start taking care of yourself!
Do you have any other tips to add?
Let us know in the comments below.
