What are the 7 Criteria for Cardiovascular Health?

March 25, 2022 | 3 minutes read time

Did you know that cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) take millions of lives (approximately 18 million as per the World Health Organization) each year? CVDs comprise several heart-related illnesses, such as rheumatic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and coronary heart disease, according to the best interventional cardiologist in India.

These statistics aren’t meant to induce fear but awareness. It’s important to understand the reality to get ourselves together and do something about our cardiac health, advises Dr. Vanita, a top cardiologist in Delhi.

In this article, Dr. Vanita introduces you to 7 lifestyle measures laid out by the American Heart Association that make or break your cardiac health. They are also known as Life’s Simple 7 and are meant to encourage people to adopt healthy lifestyle changes, suggests the best interventional cardiologist in India.

Life’s Simple 7 include:

• 1. Staying active: This involves finding physical activities like swimming, running, walking, or any form of sport that helps you stay active. Exercises that allow your heart to work harder in short bursts and rest periodically (such as interval training) are recommended for optimal heart health, says the best cardiologist in Delhi.


• 2. Eating healthy: Both quantity and quality of food determines your longevity, as per the American Heart Association. Watch your calorie intake using a reliable health app and take a balanced diet of essential macronutrients, i.e., fats, protein, and carbs. If you are on a weight loss journey, try intermittent fasting with low-carb, high fat, and medium protein diet, recommends the best interventional cardiologist in India. However, if you have pre-existing cardiac conditions, you must consult the doctor before starting any form of diet or exercise plan.


• 3. Maintaining your BMI: If you are on a weight loss journey, it’s important to focus on the body mass index (BMI) rather than weight. To mitigate the risk of CVDs, your BMI must be below 25. The higher the BMI, the greater the risk, says Dr. Vanita.


• 4. Watching your blood pressure: Not just CVD patients, but everyone should have regular health checkups to keep a track of blood pressure, blood sugar, or complete blood profile. Blood pressure, in particular, is a measure of how hard your heart is working to pump blood throughout your body. The elevated pressure (hypertension) causes damage to arteries and veins in the long term, explains the leading cardiologist in Delhi.


• 5. Improving your blood cholesterol: An increased LDL (bad cholesterol) may clog your arteries. You must eliminate trans-fat and any form of unhealthy fat from your diet. At the same time, you must maintain ideal HDL (good cholesterol) levels by incorporating good fat found in almonds, olive oil, avocado, etc.


• 6. Keeping an eye on blood sugar: Diabetes leads to all sorts of complications such as kidney damage. Be sure to monitor your blood sugar, especially if diabetes runs in your family. Again, a healthy diet and exercise are key to preventing diabetes.


• 7. Ceasing tobacco use: There isn’t an organ in your body that smoking doesn’t harm and your heart is no exception. Hence, it’s vital to seek professional help to quit any form of tobacco.

By monitoring these Life’s Simple 7, you can lead an active and healthy life, confirms the best cardiologist in Delhi.

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Bestowed with prestigious awards such as the Chikitsa Ratan Award, Magnanimous Award, Distinguished Service Award, Best Case Report Award in Cardiology, and Healthcare Personality of the Year 2016, Dr. Vanita has gained a reputation as the top cardiologist and electrophysiologist in India.

To consult Dr. Vanita for any heart-related illness, fill out this form and schedule an appointment. Other forms of contact include email (doctorvanitaarora@gmail.com) and phone number (+91 98738 79994).