Caring for your heart is crucial to living a healthy, long life. Many people are unaware of how important heart health is until they experience signs of heart disease or another cardiac condition.
Keeping your heart health in check is as simple as doing some easy at-home tests, being aware, and making a few lifestyle changes.
With that in mind, read through some simple steps to evaluate your heart health, identify potential issues, and share natural heart health tips that improve cardiovascular function.
Simple Heart Test at Home: How to Check Heart Health At Home
You can perform a simplified home cardiac test by keeping track of your daily heart rate and blood pressure. Monitoring changes in your heartbeat or any abnormalities can reveal potential signs of heart problems. Sometimes, a doctor may also test for signs of heart health problems by listening to the patient’s chest to see if they have trouble breathing or chest pain.
Check Your Heart Rate
One of the simplest ways to measure the health of your heart is to check your heart rate. Your heart rate or pulse is the number of times your heart beats per minute. In most healthy adults, the average heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm). If your heart rate falls below or above that range, then it could be a sign of heart disease or related heart problems.
To check your heart rate:
- Locate your pulse, which you can do by lightly pressing your index and middle fingers to your wrist or neck.
- Count the beats over 30 seconds and multiply by two to calculate your bpm.
- Chart your results over a few days or weeks and look for anomalies.
A consistently high resting heart rate (worse than 100 bpm) or a very low heart rate (less than 60 bpm, especially if you’re you’re not an athlete) can be indicative of heart problems. If you do find abnormalities, make sure to see a medical provider for further workup.
Blood Pressure Monitoring
High blood pressure (hypertension) One of the risk factors for heart disease is high blood pressure. Examining your blood pressure at home can provide insight into your heart health. An ideal blood pressure is around 120/80 mmHg.
If your readings are regularly too high (over 120/80 mmHg), please don’t ignore them. You can use a digital blood pressure cuff to check your blood pressure. Make sure you are taking readings at different times of the day to get the best results. In case you persistently see elevated blood pressure, you can contact a healthcare professional.
Listen for Irregular Heartbeats
Arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm and is a symptom of heart trouble. While some inconsistencies are benign, others may be indicative of serious heart conditions such as atrial fibrillation (AFib). You can listen to your heart with a stethoscope to find an abnormal heartbeat. Alternatively, newer smartwatches or fitness trackers can spot irregular heart rhythms and warn you of possible problems. If you feel the following issues, you need to focus on your heart health:
- Fluttering
- Skipping
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
Signs Your Heart Is Healthy
The key to heart disease prevention and preventing heart problems from developing is to know the warning signs! Some symptoms are easy to identify, while others are not. Make sure to see common signs:
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue and dizziness
- Swelling in the lower extremities
Types Of Heart Tests: What To Expect
Many types of heart tests can help doctors diagnose heart problems, and some of them can even be done at home. The following are a few typical tests that help evaluate heart health:
Electrocardiogram
An ECG measures the electrical activity of the heart. It can determine if the heart is beating irregularly, whether the person has had a heart attack, or any other heart disease. An ECG is usually done in a hospital, but some home monitoring devices can also perform an ECG.
Stress Test
The heart test is also known as the stress test, shows how the heart operates during exercise. It’s typically conducted on a treadmill or stationary bike while the heart’s response to exercise is recorded. If you have such symptoms, then you want to get a stress test to determine the health of your heart.
Echocardiogram
An echocardiogram is a way of imaging your heart, generating a picture of your heart’s structure and the way that your heart functions with sound waves. It can spot problems with heart valves, blood clots, and other structural problems. While this test is typically performed in a medical facility, some of those same portable devices can provide you with a rough snapshot of your heart’s state.
How To Strengthen the Heart Naturally
By being proactive with heart health, you can avoid issues down the line. Here are some heart-healthy tips to help keep your heart strong and achieve optimal cardiovascular fitness:
Follow a Heart-Healthy Diet
The foods you choose can have a big impact on the health of your heart. Consume foods good for your heart, like:
- Leafy greens (like spinach, kale, or arugula)
- Berries (blueberries, strawberries) It’s a berry good for you!
- Nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, chia seeds)
- Whole grains (whole oats, quinoa, brown rice)
- Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines)
- Beans–dried and peas, and lentils (legumes)
Exercise Regularly
Exercise is one of the most effective ways to improve heart function. Try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (such as brisk walking or biking) most days of the week. A heart exercise routine with varying intensity of exercise to maximize cardiovascular fitness is always beneficial for the heart.
Maintain A Healthy Weight
Overweight or obesity leads to heart disease (in adults). Keeping a healthy weight through diet and exercise can make a difference here as well.
Manage Stress
There’s one way chronic stress can do a number on your heart. Relaxation exercises, like deep breathing, meditation, or yoga, can help you decrease stress. Getting enough quality sleep is also important for the health of your heart.
Avoid Smoking And Limit Alcohol
Smoking is bad for the blood vessels and raises the risk of heart disease. Drinking too much alcohol can also affect high blood pressure, heart failure, and other cardiac issues. Stop smoking and moderate drinking for a healthier heart.
Take Heart-Healthy Supplements
Some heart health supplements can help with your heart, such as omega-3 fats, CoQ10, and magnesium. As always, talk to your doctor before introducing any supplements into your routine.
Follow A Low-Sodium Diet
If people ate less sodium, it would keep them from having high blood pressure that damages the heart and blood vessels. Cut back on processed foods, canned soups, and restaurant meals, which are all high in sodium. Instead, make yourself healthy meals from scratch using real foods.
Conclusion
Taking care of your heart is a lifelong habit, and part of that is getting regular check-ups and learning what symptoms might signal possible problems, as well as living a heart-healthy lifestyle. From performing simple at-home heart tests to keeping track of what you eat, there’s plenty you can do to monitor and improve your heart health. Taking action now and living a heart-healthy lifestyle may reduce your risk of developing heart disease and improve your quality of life.
Don’t forget, your heart deserves the best treatment. Whether you’re in the early stages of investigating your heart health or are looking for more advanced tests, trust BaleDoneen for expert advice and services that directly impact your cardiovascular health.
FAQs
How can I check if my heart is ok at home?
You can follow your heart rate and look for irregularities, as well as track symptoms like chest pain or shortness of breath. One’s heart health can also be assessed through regular blood pressure checks and a healthy lifestyle.
How to know if your heart is healthy?
Some of the following factors that indicate the health of your heart rate:
- Normal blood pressure
- Consistent heart rate
- Absence of chest pain
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
What is the biggest indicator of heart disease?
High blood pressure is among the strongest risk factors for heart disease because it strains the heart and damages arteries. Along with this, it also leads to heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases.
