4 Habits To Keep Your Heart Healthy

Ditch white sugar.
Include Indian herbs like turmeric, amla and fenugreek seeds in your daily diet.
Get a sound sleep of at least seven hours each day, suggests Dr Kriti Soni, head of research and development at Kapiva, an Ayurvedic nutrition brand.

The human heart is an important organ which helps pump and circulate blood to all the different parts of the body and keep it functioning well.

The secret to a healthy heart is a healthy diet.

According to Ayurveda, one of the oldest branches of medicine, the main cause of any illness is ‘eating at will’, something that all of us are guilty of committing once in a while.

Naturally, consumption of high-cholesterol foods is bad for health as it becomes difficult to metabolise and has a negative impact on overall heart health.

Several heart-related problems all begin because of unhealthy lifestyles and food choices.

However, this can all be avoided by making a couple of changes in lifestyle. These habits ensure that all heart illnesses and the possible risks that come along steer clear of you and your health.

If you’ve ever been worried sick about your health and been looking to make changes to become a healthier and heartier version of yourself, you need to incorporate these four habits into your daily life:

1. Make essential herbs a part of your diet and life

There are several Ayurvedic herbs that work wonders to maintain your heart health.

This includes ingredients like turmeric, amla (Indian gooseberry), and fenugreek seeds — which can be included in your daily cooking.

Nisha Amalki is one of the best Ayurvedic formulations used to control high blood sugar levels.

The magic potion is made with equal portions of amla powder and turmeric powder which if consumed daily can be extremely beneficial to maintain a healthy heart.

Similarly organic juices made with amla, jamun, and karela (bitter gourd) help keep those at risk of heart problems keep their blood sugar levels in control.

2. Exercise is the way to be

Exercising is a no-brainer when it comes to the prevention of almost any and every disease.

It helps maintain overall health and keeps both the heart and the body happy.

Any form of exercise — gym, yoga, or pranayama — can help you to improve your metabolism and ensure the smooth functioning of the pancreas.

3. Ditch white sugar and switch to natural sugars

White sugar that the majority of us use daily has hardly any nutritional value. It is just empty calories.

Making it a part of your diet does you no good whatsoever.

Thus, it is highly recommended to make the switch to consuming natural sugar from fruits, jaggery, or honey.

It is also advisable to boost your intake of fruits and vegetables with a low glycemic index and low glycemic loads like asparagus, artichoke, avocado, broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower.

4. Early dinners and a sound sleep

What sounds like the most basic and easiest is also the most important — a proper, healthy lifestyle.

Food (ahara) and lifestyle (vihara) have a major impact on the health of your heart.

All meals should have a consistent gap between them.

It is recommended to keep a gap of three hours between all your meals.

Sleep is another crucial phenomenon to maintaining your heart health.

You must get a sound sleep of at least seven hours each day in order to function in a healthy, sound manner.

Good sleep is proven to reduce chronic inflammation, manage physical and mental stress, improve immunity and cure hormonal issues.

Incorporate these simple but consistent habits into your daily life to make your body as well as heart fit to live a long life!

Dr Kriti Soni holds a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences from Jamia Hamdard and specialises in development of novel drug delivery systems, topical products, clinical trials and nanotechnology.

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