Treatment For Coronary Heart Disease: Why Lifestyle Changes Matter

Health & Medical Articles

When you're diagnosed with coronary heart disease, it's important to start treatment immediately to prevent further complications. Treatment will help you avoid the eventual complications of heart disease. Many patients with heart disease find it easier to take medications and come to check-ups than to make personal lifestyle changes. A permanent lifestyle change, however, can be the most effective defense you have against further health problems. Here's why lifestyle changes make such a difference when it comes to heart health.

Smoking

Smoking harms nearly all of your organs, but it also causes and exacerbates coronary heart disease because of the damage it does to your blood vessels. Atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque in the arteries, accelerates in people who smoke because of inflammation and weakening of the vessels. Even if you only smoke once in a while or experience second-hand smoke from a family member, the damage to your circulatory system is still profound. When your doctor recommends stopping all smoking, you should do everything possible to do so. 

Alcohol

Another contributor to heart disease complications is alcohol. Your doctor may not completely discourage all beverages, but heavy alcohol consumption increases blood pressure. When you have coronary heart disease, your blood pressure is already high due to the narrowing of your blood vessels. Partaking in alcohol only makes the blood pressure problem more severe. Also, alcohol consumption raises your cholesterol levels, furthering atherosclerosis. 

Diet

"Diet" is a four-letter-word for many, but it is the area that can make the most difference in your prognosis. Changing your eating habits is challenging, because it requires cooking and buying differently, and your tastes have adapted to particular flavors and textures. Tastes can be restrained. Your heart-healthy diet should mostly consist of:

• fresh fruits and vegetables. Dark, leafy greens are especially important. Leafy greens are naturally high in nitrates, which helps to expand constricted blood vessels. Leafy greens and other vegetables help your blood to carry more oxygen without the need for extra red blood cells—reducing your risk of heart attack and stroke.
• whole grains. It's best to ditch the refined carbohydrates found in white bread, pastries, and similar baked goods. These types of refined carbohydrates spike your blood sugar when eaten. High blood sugar is one of the direct causes of coronary heart disease. For this same reason, you should also avoid sugary sodas, juice, and sweets.
• lean meats. Animal fats increase blood cholesterol, further narrowing your arteries. It's best to choose white, lean meats like turkey or chicken breast—and be sure to remove the skin, as it is naturally higher in fat. Remember that low-fat or no-fat Greek yogurt is also a great source of protein and does not have the same cholesterol issues as red meat. 
• beans and legumes. These provide filling protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber, but they also actively decrease your blood cholesterol. These should be a main component of your diet when you are trying to combat heart disease. 

Of course, along with the above recommendations, it's best to avoid fried foods of all varieties, and to eat fatty treats sparingly—even those with touted heath benefits, like dark chocolate or nuts.

Exercise

Exercise will help to remove fatty build up in your arteries because is raises your HDL cholesterol levels (that's the good kind). Exercise also strengthens your heart, allowing your resting heart rate and blood pressure to trend lower. Your heart will pump more blood with fewer beats, reducing the stress to your cardiovascular system when you're not working out. If exercise seems daunting, remember that even walking is suitable exercise until you reach greater fitness. Your doctor can direct you on exercise suitable for your fitness level. 

2 December 2016