A balanced diet and exercise for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases: healthy habits and exercise therapy

59. A reasonable diet and exercise for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases

Cardiovascular diseases, also known as circulatory system diseases, are a series of diseases closely related to the circulatory system. The circulatory system refers to the tissues and organs in the human body that transport blood, mainly including blood vessels (capillaries, veins, and arteries) and the heart. They can be further divided into chronic and acute diseases, and are generally closely related to arteriosclerosis.

With the continuous development of my country's economy, people's living standards have greatly improved, and the quality of life for residents is gradually improving. However, many people's diets are not scientific, believing that eating more oily and fatty foods is a sign of improved living standards. In fact, this is not the case. Improved living standards should be reflected in a more scientific and reasonable diet.

Healthy eating habits for patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases

Eat more fish oil and fish. Fish oil can prevent arteriosclerosis and has a good regulatory function on blood lipids. A high intake of fish oil rich in omega-3 fatty acids has a good preventive effect on cardiovascular disease. International nutrition organizations recommend that if a person consumes 2500 kcal of energy per day, they should correspondingly consume 0.6–1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids in the form of DHA and EPA to ensure the body's basic needs are met.

Increase dietary fiber intake. Dietary fiber can effectively lower serum cholesterol levels. Foods rich in dietary fiber mainly include rice bran, fruits, whole grains, dried beans, wheat bran, vegetables, and kelp. Daily fiber intake should be controlled at around 40 grams. Common foods with lipid-lowering properties also include garlic, onions, celery, black fungus, and shiitake mushrooms.

Reduce your intake of cholesterol and fat. Daily fat intake should be strictly limited to less than 15% of total calories or no more than 30 grams. Cholesterol intake should also not exceed 300 milligrams per day. Try to avoid high-cholesterol foods such as animal organs, spinal cord, brain, shellfish (e.g., clams), egg yolks, and mollusks (e.g., caviar, cuttlefish, squid).

Eat more soy products. Soybeans contain a variety of phospholipids essential to the human body. Regularly consuming soy products such as bean sprouts, tofu, soybean oil, and dried tofu is very beneficial to health and can help prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

A scientific and reasonable lifestyle

Avoid emotional excitement. Mental stress, overwork, insomnia, depression, anxiety, and irregular lifestyle can all disrupt lipid metabolism. Middle-aged men should avoid playing mahjong for extended periods, maintain a calm and peaceful mind, and try to avoid getting angry.

Strengthen physical exercise. Exercise for 40 minutes every day, ensuring that your heart rate does not differ from your age by more than 170 beats per minute, or that you do not feel tired, sweat slightly, and feel relaxed after exercise. If you exercise 5 days a week and persist, you can generally achieve good therapeutic effects.

Quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption. Long-term excessive drinking and smoking can hinder the metabolism of blood lipids and cause blood lipid levels to rise.

Exercise therapy for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases

Cycling. In my country, almost every household owns a bicycle, and nearly everyone knows how to ride one, making it a convenient way to exercise during commutes. The handlebar bend and seat height should be adjusted properly, and the body should be slightly leaning forward while riding, avoiding gripping the handlebars too tightly. However, cycling speeds are generally limited, resulting in relatively low exercise intensity. To increase the load, you can deflate the tires slightly. Sometimes traffic congestion can slow down your cycling speed, so you can also choose to cycle in a sports field or in the morning. Regardless of where you cycle, always prioritize safety.

Walking and jogging. Jogging and walking are the simplest and most convenient periodic aerobic exercises, with excellent effects on improving cardiopulmonary function and being most effective in increasing oxygen uptake. Generally, jogging is done at 5-8 km/h, brisk walking at 6 km/h, fast walking at 5 km/h, strolling at 3 km/h, and leisurely walking at 1-2 km/h. Jogging and walking are best done in pleasant environments, such as in the evening or early morning, for about 40 minutes each time, consistently. When walking, choose flat roads, maintain a stable gait and even stride to prevent falls, and breathe naturally. Although jogging is easy to achieve training results, those with poor physical condition or significant impairment of cardiac function should not attempt it rashly.

Tai Chi. Tai Chi combines movement with stillness, and its movements are natural and relaxed, making it especially suitable for patients with chronic diseases.

Swimming is a good option for those who can swim, have good physical strength, and are able to maintain a long-term commitment. Swimming can increase oxygen intake. It's important to warm up before swimming, and the swimming time should not be too long to avoid muscle cramps.

Basketball and table tennis. Ball sports are very fun and suitable for long periods of exercise, but it's important to avoid injuries.

Smoking is one of the leading causes of coronary heart disease and stroke. Cigarettes contain a large amount of nicotine, which causes vasoconstriction, raising blood pressure and increasing heart rate. Nicotine also hinders the absorption of antihypertensive drugs. Excessive alcohol consumption (especially of strong liquor) can also lead to increased blood pressure and heart rate, so alcohol consumption should be limited and smoking should be stopped.