The heart is the engine of the human body. This fist-sized muscle is in charge of pumping blood throughout the body and taking care of it from childhood is essential to avoid future diseases, since cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death in the world, according to the World Health Organization. Dr. Rodrigo León, cardiologist at Clinica Ricardo Palma, gives us some tips to keep the heart strong and healthy.

• Quit smoking: Tobacco consumption directly affects the heart, damaging the walls of the arteries and favoring the formation of thrombi. In addition, carbon monoxide, generated by smoking, decreases the oxygen supply in the body.
• Maintain an active life: A sedentary life can be detrimental to health. Therefore, it is important to stay active to reduce the risk of heart disease. It is recommended to perform physical activity for a minimum of 30 minutes, 3 to 5 times a week.
• Have a healthy diet: An unhealthy diet is among the main risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Therefore, it is important to maintain a balanced diet, avoiding excessive consumption of carbohydrates, processed foods, refined flours, fats, and fried foods.
• Have good sleeping habits: Sleeping a few hours a day (less than 6 hours) increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. That is why it is recommended to sleep between 7 to 8 hours.
• Have a good stress management: It is important to learn to deal with situations of stress, tension or anxiety, even more so if they occur constantly, as these are a trigger for blood pressure.

Dr. Rodrigo León
Cardiologist at Clinica Ricardo Palma