4 Ways to Test Heart Health

Heart disease is still ranked at the top cause of death. Age people with coronary heart disease are increasingly younger, triggered by an unhealthy lifestyle. Therefore, you should always consult your heart health on a regular basis, either through a series of medical check ups, and check it out yourself. You do not need special medical equipment to examine your own heart health. There are 4 ways to test heart health,is still in a state safe or not.

1. Waist circumference
Waist circumference is more broadly not only cause a muffin top or sagging fat around the abdomen. Women who measure waist circumference over 88 cm have a 79 percent greater risk of dying from any cause (including cardiovascular disease and cancer), rather than their waist size of 71 cm or less. To measure, wrap a tape measure around waist at its widest part (usually in the area near the navel).

"The stomach is largely a product made ​​in the kitchen," says Malissa Wood, MD, a cardiologist from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. To start merampingkannya, chewable seven to nine servings of fruits and vegetables and three servings of grains every day. Every two weeks, the consumption of fish, fisheries are also rich in omega-3, such as salmon. Try to consume 30 grams of fiber and at least 50 grams of lean protein each day. Do not forget cardio exercise for one hour, three or more days a week. Train your muscle strength is also two times a week.

2. Heart rate at rest
The size of the heart rate at rest or exercise (resting heart rate) could be the benchmark of a good fitness. The lower, the better your body. If you want to know the condition of your heart rate, before it got out of bed the morning, use your index finger and middle finger to find the pulse on the inner wrist. Detakannya count for 10 seconds, and multiply that number six times to find your heart rate per minute (bpm, or beats per minute).

Heart rate between 60-80 bpm is considered good, in the normal sense. "People have a very healthy resting heart rate below 60, and it is good. But resting heart rate above 60 and below 80 can indicate a problem of dehydration or underlying medical problems, such as thyroid disease or anemia," says Wood. If your size does not fit in the second figure, and you ate a pretty healthy and drink enough water, try to consult with a physician.

Basically, cardio exercise will also help lower the resting heart rate. But the best exercise is interval training. Perform high-intensity exercise in a short time, which will make your heart muscle is more efficient. Add to ride my bike with interval speed for 30-60 seconds, or run once or twice a week.

3. Heart rate after exercise
You also need to measure heart rate recovery after exercise (heart rate recovery). "The faster the heart beat returned to normal after exercise, the healthier your heart," said Cheri Wiggins, MD, physician in Twin Falls, Idaho.

If the heart rate does not go down at least 12 beats in one minute after exercise, you run the risk of heart failure, even death. Calculate your target heart rate with this equation:

(220 - age) x 0.6 = low point of the target heart rate
(220 - age) x 0.8 = high point of the target heart rate

Example: if you are 34 years of age, then (220-34) x 0.6 = 112 to a low point, and (220-34) x 0.8 = 149 to a high point

Then, start exercising, by running or cycling, until you reach that point (use a heart rate monitor to measure it). Then, stop and immediately count the pulse. One minute after you stop exercising, count your pulse again. Subtract the second number of the first number.

If the number is less than 12, your target is to exercise at least 150 minutes per week, or five sessions per 30 minutes, with aerobic exercise such as brisk walking. No need too ngoyo while doing so. On a scale of 1 to 10, perform with the intensity level of 4 or 5. So the better your cardiovascular conditions and heart rate after exercise higher, increase the duration and intensity of your workout.

4. Shriveled earlobe
Bottom of the ear lobe (which is usually pierced for earrings) are slightly folded or shriveled, are often cited as a symptom of coronary heart disease, high cholesterol, or diabetes. However, you do not need to immediately believe it.

"Heart disease does not cause ear lobe shrink, wrinkle or lobe that cause heart disease. However, these conditions seem to be a marker of an unhealthy lifestyle," said Sarah Samaan, MD, cardiologist at Legacy Heart Center in Plano, Texas, and author book Best Practices for a Healthy Heart.

Another study found a correlation of 80 percent between the folds of the ear-shaped diagonal in persons under the age of 40 years, with coronary artery disease. This fold will not disappear, but you can minimize the risk factors for heart disease itself. For that you need to know the history of heart disease in your family, keep your weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In addition to exercise regularly, eat healthily, and avoid stress.