Making certain lifestyle alterations can help in relieving the signs and symptoms associated with congestive heart failure. These modifications can as well aid in preventing the disease from aggravating even further. These changes are likely to be the most beneficial ones for the health of your heart in general.

 

4     Quit smoking: Smoking can cause damage to the blood vessels and might as well reduce the oxygen amount in the blood, thus making the heart beat even faster. If you are a smoker, you must ask the doctor to help you in quitting your smoking habits. Heart transplant cannot be an option for frequent smokers.

 

4     Limit sodium intake: Sodium is abundantly present in salt. Excessive sodium can lead to water retention that makes the heart work even harder, thus causing shortness of breath and swelling of the ankles, feet and legs. One should not take added salt in prepared foods as these foods already contain salts. People suffering from heart failure must not take excessive salt; the proposed amount of salt for such patients is 2000 milligrams.

 

4     Maintain Your Body Weight: You must maintain your ideal body weight that is in proportion with your height and built. A dietician can help you in taking care of this issue.

 

4     Restrict fluids and alcohol: Excessive alcohol consumption can affect your heart directly, thus weakening the heart muscles and increase the risk of abnormality in the heart rhythms, which might aggravate the existing heart condition. Alcohol might also have an interaction with the medications used for treating heart failure. In some critical cases, the doctor might even limit the overall consumption of fluid to prevent the condition from worsening.

 

4     Restrict cholesterol and fats: You must as well restrict your intake of fats in any form, be it saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol. A high-fat diet and a high-cholesterol diet can increase the risk of coronary artery disease, which is an underlying condition of congestive heart failure.

 

4     Exercise and be active: Earlier it was said that people suffering from heart disease should not exercise. However, things have changed over time and now people with heart problems are asked to exercise and be active for maintaining a healthy body. Moderate exercise can help in keeping the body in good health. But you must take proper medical advice from a doctor before you begin.

 

4     Reduce your stress: When we are anxious or worried about something, our heart beats even faster. This can worsen the conditions of heart failure, thus creating troubles for the heart to meet the demand of the body. Instead of feeling stressed about the condition, try to live every moment of your life and be happy. Take your medicines and all the necessary steps for good health.

 

4     Sleep Well: You must sleep well, to avoid any further complications. If you experience a shortness of breath, particularly during the night, your sleeping posture needs to be changed. Sleep with the head elevated at 45 degreed with the use of a pillow or wedge. If you have any sleeping problems like snoring, get yourself tested for sleep disorder or sleep apnea.

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Filed under: Congestive Heart Failure Prevention

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