Joint discomfort, weariness, and decreased mobility are frequently linked to arthritis. However, a few less well-known adverse effects may have a significant effect on your health.
Consider the possibility that arthritis raises one’s risk of cardiovascular events like heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and even death.
As one of the main causes of arthritis, chronic inflammation can harm blood vessel linings, causing plaque accumulation, clots, and arterial constriction. Heart attacks or strokes may result from this decreased blood supply to vital organs such as the heart or brain.
People with arthritis are also more likely to have traditional risk factors, which all significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. These risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, and being overweight or obese.
Managing one’s cardiovascular risk requires recognizing and treating these risk factors as well as reducing inflammation. Here are six strategies to become better and lower your chance of heart disease:
Exercise regularly
Exercise can be difficult if you have painful joints, but even low-impact sports like swimming, cycling, and walking are good for your heart.
Eat well
Obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure can be prevented by eating a healthy diet and keeping a healthy weight. Anti-inflammatory recipes and meal planning are quite beneficial.
Limit stress
Negative physiological reactions might be triggered by feeling overburdened and under pressure. In order to reduce cardiovascular strain, it’s critical to implement stress-reduction techniques like yoga or mindfulness meditation.
Stop smoking
Smoking has been associated with up to a 50% higher risk of heart disease and has been shown to exacerbate the symptoms of arthritis and joint damage. Many pharmacies provide monitoring services and support programs to help people quit smoking. Find out from your pharmacist how they can assist.
Keep tabs
Discuss with your physician the possibility of routine screening for high blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol, ideally once a year. If they are elevated, you can manage them and reduce your risk of heart disease with a variety of useful lifestyle changes and drugs.
Manage symptoms
Maintaining the health of your heart requires that you control the inflammation and arthritis through regular monitoring and treatment in collaboration with your physician.
Making these lifestyle adjustments will help lower your chance of developing heart disease and arthritis. Making regular medical checkups, diet, and exercise a priority will help you live a longer, healthier life.
Learn more at: https://newscanada.com/en/Arthritis-and-heart-disease–6-tips-to-reduce-your-risk-139617
Reference: https://newscanada.com/
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