📩 29/09/2023 14:20
Istanbul Okan University Hospital Cardiology Specialist Assoc. Dr. Süha Çetin gave important information about heart health. Çetin pointed out that there are very important risk factors that are possible and easy to change, such as having a family history of cardiovascular disease, male gender and advanced age.
Quitting smoking
Assoc. Prof. said that one of the most meaningful steps we can take is to quit smoking. Dr. Süha Çetin said, “Smoking seriously damages the heart and arteries. Additionally, using tobacco reduces the oxygen level in the blood and thus causes increased blood pressure and pulse, two factors that tire our hearts. “Smoking causes fatal heart attacks at a young age.” he said.
increasing physical activity
Stating that physical activity plays an inevitable role today, Assoc. Dr. Süha Çetin recommended 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise and a brisk walk a week and continued as follows:
“75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise a week, such as running, is important for health. In addition, moderate weight exercises should be done 2 or 3 times a week. "Doing gardening, doing housework, using the stairs instead of the elevator or walking our dog outside are important physical activities."
Eat healthy
Assoc. Dr. Süha Çetin emphasized that a healthy diet protects against cardiovascular diseases in many ways, and pointed out that by paying attention to your diet, you can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of diabetes. Çetin explained which foods should be included in a healthy diet as follows:
”Vegetables and fruits, legumes, low-fat meat and fish, unsalted and unroasted hazelnuts, almonds and walnuts, olive oil and avocado oil, milk, yoghurt and eggs are among the foods that should be consumed frequently. Foods that should not be consumed or minimized are salt and salty products, sugar and sugary drinks, high carbohydrate foods (pastries), alcohol, processed foods and trans fats.
Getting rid of excess weight
Assoc. Dr. Süha Çetin said, “Being overweight (especially around the waist) increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Externally it causes high blood pressure and cholesterol and diabetes. Body mass index indicates whether a person is obese or not. If the body mass index is 25 or above, the person is considered overweight. In this sense, waist circumference width can also be measured. "If the waist circumference is over 101.6 cm in men and 88.9 cm in women, the person is considered to be at risk for cardiovascular diseases." said.
Sleeping regularly
Assoc. Prof. lists that insufficient sleep can cause high weight, high blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes and depression. Dr. Suha Cetin. “Adults need at least 7 hours of sleep a day. One of the reasons for not getting enough sleep is that breathing frequently stops for short periods of time during sleep (obstructive sleep apnea). This situation is especially common in people who snore. Obstructive sleep apnea can cause cardiovascular diseases and rhythm disorders. Losing weight and also using a device that keeps the airways open (cPAP) may be beneficial for people with sleep apnea.” he stated.
Avoiding stress
Stating that constant stress can cause high blood pressure and therefore cardiovascular diseases, Çetin concluded his words as follows:
“Improper stress management, for example by eating more or drinking alcohol or smoking, further increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. The path to be followed is proper stress management: it is of great importance to organize work correctly, to foresee possible complications and take precautions, to regularly prioritize personal physical activity, and to do yoga or meditation.”