Having a healthy and fit heart is a treasure in itself. It is if utmost importance that you keep your heart healthy and fine as you age. With time, the heart’s pumping capacity and overall ability declines and you have to make lifestyle changes to ensure that your heart is fit and fine.
You must have come around incidents when even youngsters suffer from cardiovascular diseases and it is a worrisome thing. As per the statistics, 10% of men before age of 45, become victims of premature coronary artery diseases and 50% of adults who are at the age of 50 years are at risk of developing heart diseases.
However, keeping your heart healthy is not rocket science. Just a few changes in your diet and exercising regularly can decrease heart issues and you can add more years to your life.
Here is a list of 10 signs that show that your heart is perfect and in a healthy condition. Stay tuned!
1. Resting Heart rate
One of the most effective ways to measure your heart health is to check out your resting heart rate. In the era of smartwatches and fitness trackers, it is relatively easy to check your resting heart rate. Lie down for 15-20 minutes and then check your heart rate. You can put your thumb and main finger on your wrist and calculate the heart rate for 10 seconds and multiply it for 6 and you will get your resting heart rate.
If you are an adult, your resting heart rate must be between 60 to 100. If that’s what your readings reveal, it means your heart is in good condition. If you are an athlete, your resting heart rate might be if 40 to 60 minutes as your heart is super healthy and does not require much efforts to pump blood.
2. Normal blood pressure
Blood pressure is the measure of your heart’s function to circulate blood around veins at the optimal force. When you visit a doctor for a routine check-up, always measure your blood pressure. The normal blood pressure range is 140/90 mmHg. If you have normal blood pressure, it means your heart is functioning properly. Make a habit to check your blood pressure or every 3 to 6 months. If the blood pressure is high, talk to your doctor about it.
3. Your EKG is normal and good
Electrocardiography is another measure to check your heart health and it is a noninvasive procedure that takes just a few minutes and tells your heart’s electrical activities. It is recommended that you go for an EKG at least once in a year to ensure that there are no irregularities in your heart’s electrical activities. It also reveals your irregular heartbeats and slow or fast heartbeats. Several electrodes will be placed on your body and EKG will be done. A normal EKG means your heart is fine and healthy.
4. You spend lots of time doing physical activities
Our lifestyles have become hectic and full of professional commitments and responsibilities. However, you need to find at least half an hour for your body to ensure that you get yourself indulge in some physical activities of your choice. You can go for swimming, jogging, brisk walk, gym or cycling. Remember that your heart is a muscle and it requires some sort of physical activity to make it perform better. If you are often fatigued, it means that your heart is not pumping enough blood to your body parts and it is a worrisome symptom.
5. Your lipid profile is excellent
Your blood lipid profile reveals a lot about your heart health. Lipid profile numbers mostly tell you about your body’s cholesterol levels including good HDL cholesterol, bad LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and other important information. Once in every five years, you should go for a lipid profile test to know the numbers. If your total cholesterol is high, it means you need to make certain lifestyle changes to make it normal. Consult a doctor if your cholesterol levels are high and fall beyond the optimal range.
6. You perform well in the stress test
A heart stress test is performed by the doctors at the clinic where you are asked to run on the treadmill and several electrodes note down your heart’s activities such as your heart rate, EKG, breathing, blood pressure and others. The doctor will notice any arrhythmias or heartbeat fluctuations and other irregularities if there are any. It is advised to go for a stress test once every five years after you turn 35.
7. Normal glucose levels
One of the most dangerous symptoms of heart disease or chances of developing heart disease is elevated blood glucose levels or blood sugar. It damages your blood veins and nerves and increases your risks to develop heart disease or stroke. A simple blood glucose test is what you need to go to know your blood glucose levels. Regular blood glucose tests must be done every year to know it and to make certain changes in your diet. If you have normal blood glucose levels, it means you have a normal heart.
8. You have low C – reactive protein
C – reactive protein, also called CRP, shows your inflammation in the body and if this inflammation is developed in arteries, it improves the chances of getting a heart disease. If you have Hugh blood pressure, high glucose levels and you are a smoker, your C – reactive protein might be high and you need to check it out by testing for it. If your CRP is below 3.0 mg/DL, then it is normal. If it is above this line, you need to consult a doctor.
9. Your maximum heart rate is high
Perform a vigorous physical exercise for 3 minutes and check your maximum heart rate. If it is 60 to 80% of your max for age (220- your age), it means your heart is good and fit.
10. Your heart rate slows down quickly
A healthy heart slows down quickly after a high-intensity workout. Generally, it takes 2 to 3 minutes to come to a regular heart rate and if it takes more time to reach a normal heartbeat, it means your heart is not super healthy. Perform an exercise such as sprinting or high-intensity workout and check your heart rate after 2 minutes. If it has dropped more than 66% than the maximum heart rate, it means you are in good shape.