Importance of Lifestyle Changes Before Heart Surgery

Preparing for heart surgery is a crucial period for patients, and making necessary lifestyle changes beforehand can significantly enhance outcomes. At Atrius Cardiac Care, we emphasize the importance of adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle to ensure a smooth surgery and recovery process. Let’s explore the various aspects of lifestyle changes that can make a substantial difference.

What is a Heart-Healthy Life?

A heart-healthy life involves making choices and adopting habits that support cardiovascular health. Understanding how to have a healthy heart is essential for anyone facing heart surgery. A heart-healthy lifestyle includes a balanced diet, regular exercise, stress management, and avoiding harmful habits like smoking and excessive drinking.

A heart-healthy life is not just about diet and exercise; it’s about making choices that enhance overall well-being and longevity.

-Dr (Col) Manjinder Singh Sandhu, Principal Director of Cardiology at Atrius

What are the Healthy Habits for the Heart?

To live a healthy lifestyle, it’s crucial to adopt habits that support cardiovascular health. Here are some ways to keep your heart healthy:

1. Balanced Diet: Incorporate a variety of nutrients to nourish your body.
2. Regular Exercise: Engage in activities that keep your heart active.
3. Stress Management: Practice relaxation techniques.
4. Avoid Harmful Habits: Quit smoking and limit alcohol intake.

Making good lifestyle choices will prevent all diseases and contribute to a longer, healthier life.

-Dr Sanjat Chiwane, Director of Cardiology at Atrius

Healthy Eating Habits

Eating right is a cornerstone of heart health. Here are some quick tips:

• Choose heart-healthy meats like fish and lean poultry.
• Fill your plate with heart-healthy veggies such as spinach, broccoli, and carrots.
• Avoid the worst foods for the heart, including trans fats, high-sugar snacks, and processed foods.
• Be aware of the signs and symptoms of high triglycerides, like chest pain and shortness of breath.
• Know what foods raise heart rate, including caffeine and spicy foods.

A balanced diet rich in nutrients is essential for maintaining heart health and preventing diseases. 

-Dr Hemant Gandhi, Associate Director of Cardiology at Atrius

Exercise Regime

Engaging in cardiovascular exercise is crucial for heart health. Regular activities like running, swimming, and cycling are some of the best cardio workouts. Understanding how to improve cardio fitness can help you incorporate effective routines into your daily life.

Consider these 5 best exercises to strengthen your heart: walking, weight training, swimming, cycling, and yoga. Incorporating a pumping exercise routine can enhance heart function, and aiming for at least 150 minutes of exercise per week is recommended for optimal heart health. If you experience heart palpitations after exercise, it’s essential to consult your doctor.

Regular exercise is a powerful tool in maintaining heart health and preventing cardiac issues.

-Dr Jagdeep Yadav, Intervention Specialist and Associate Director of Cardiology at Atrius

Smoking Cessation

Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your heart. The harmful effects of smoking are well-documented, including heart palpitations after smoking and the increased strain it puts on your heart. Understanding that smoking increases heart rate and its long-term effects can motivate you to quit. There is also a significant link between smoking and heart failure, and knowing how nicotine and blood pressure interact can further highlight the importance of quitting.

Smoking cessation is a critical step toward improving heart health and overall well-being.

-Dr Ashish Gupta, Senior Consultant of Cardiology at Atrius

Stress Management

Managing stress is vital for heart health. High-stress levels can lead to a stress-induced heart attack. It’s crucial to understand that stress can cause heart attacks and its impact on your health. Recognizing the signs stress is affecting your heart, such as increased heart rate and blood pressure, and managing stress heart palpitations with relaxation techniques can significantly improve your heart health.

Effective stress management can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease. 

-Dr Anurag Passi, Interventional Cardiologist and Senior Consultant of Cardiology at Atrius

Medication Adherence

Taking prescribed medications is crucial for managing heart conditions effectively. It’s essential to follow your heart medications regimen strictly. Understanding the importance of heart failure medications in your treatment plan can ensure better management of your condition and improve your overall health.

Adherence to medication is key to managing heart conditions effectively.

-Dr Kapinder Yadav, Cardiology Specialist at Atrius

Limit Alcohol Consumption

Moderation is key when it comes to alcohol. Excessive drinking can lead to several heart-related issues. Recognizing the signs of heart disease from alcohol consumption and understanding how alcohol increases heart rate can help you make better choices. Knowing the risks, such as can alcohol cause heart attack and the overall alcohol effects on the heart, is vital. Monitoring for heart palpitations after drinking is also crucial.

Limiting alcohol intake can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease.

-Dr Purneshwar Kumar Pandey, Consultant for Cardiology at Atrius

Get Enough Sleep!

Adequate sleep is essential for heart health. There is a strong connection between lack of sleep and blood pressure. Monitoring your heart rate during sleep can provide insights into your cardiovascular health. Knowing that the right side is the best side to sleep on for heart health and understanding the importance of heart rate variability sleep can lead to better sleep hygiene and overall heart health.

Quality sleep is crucial for maintaining cardiovascular health.

-Dr (Col) Manjinder Singh Sandhu, Principal Director of Cardiology at Atrius

Control Diabetes

Managing diabetes is vital for heart health. It’s essential to understand can diabetes cause heart palpitations and the link between diabetes and heart disease. Monitoring diabetes and heart rate can provide valuable information for managing your condition. Knowing can high blood sugar cause chest pain and being aware of low blood sugar chest pain can help you take timely actions to protect your heart.

Effective diabetes management is crucial for preventing heart disease.

-Dr Anurag Passi, Interventional Cardiologist and Senior Consultant of Cardiology at Atrius

Atrius Cardiac Care

At Atrius Cardiac Care, we pride ourselves on being the best heart hospital in India. Our facility is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and a team of experts dedicated to your healthy lifestyle. We are recognized as the top heart hospital for many patients. Our specialists are among the top in the heart specialist hospital category. We have the best cardiac surgeon in Delhi and the best bypass surgery hospital in India. Our facility is renowned as the best hospital for bypass surgery in India, with the best bypass surgeon in Delhi.

To learn more about how Atrius Cardiac Care can support you in adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle and preparing for heart surgery, visit our website or call us to schedule a consultation. Your heart health matters to us.