Diagnose your future health: cardiovascular health
Cignpost recently partnered with the DP World Tour, providing a range of screening services on-site at tournaments to the Tour’s golfers, caddies and support staff. One such service is on-site heart health assessments provided by our team of cardiovascular specialists.
Heart disease can often be undetectable until it's too late. We all know the most obvious ways to keep our hearts healthy - do plenty of exercise, eat less salt, avoid saturated and trans fats - but here are five lesser-known tips that can help keep your heart in peak condition.
Avoid smoking
Everybody knows that smoking is terrible for the lungs, but it can also have a hugely negative effect on the heart. Smoking, both first and second-hand, is a contributor to the build-up of plaque in the arteries, which can block the blood flow to your heart and brain. However, your heart rate and blood pressure stabilise just 20 minutes after you quit smoking, and in many people the risk of heart disease can continue to reduce over time, becoming the same as a non-smoker after 10 years.
Eat more fibre
Increasing the amount of fibre in your diet can help reduce your risk of heart disease. You can find this in vegetables, fruit, beans and pulses, and wholegrain foods such as wholemeal pasta, brown bread and cereals like bran flakes or porridge.
Relax with music
If you're feeling stressed, try listening to a slow song. According to this study, music with a slower tempo can help reduce blood pressure and improve heart rate variability, the slight fluctuations in your heart rhythm. Listening for a minimum of 30 minutes per day has a positive effect on your blood pressure, your heart rate and even your anxiety levels.
Look after your teeth
Did you know that your dental hygiene is closely connected to the health of your heart? The bacteria that causes gum disease can spread to your heart through your bloodstream, where they cause inflammation, which can result in conditions such as endocarditis. Taking care of your teeth by brushing twice a day, flossing and knowing the signs of periodontal disease, so that you can recognise and treat it early, can help keep your heart working at its best as well.
Sleep more
Sleep isn't just a luxury; it's a necessity. When your body enters periods of deep sleep, your blood pressure and heart rate both drop. In fact, it's so crucial to your heart health that scientists at the University of Alabama discovered that the week the clocks go forward and we lose an hour of sleep is linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, while the week the clocks go back and sleep is potentially gained is linked to an decreased rate of heart attacks. Athletes especially need to make sure they get plenty of rest in order for their bodies to repair themselves and heal the stresses of the day.