Living with Heart Disease: Why & How to Manage your Lifestyle?

Heart disease is a quite common phenomenon in contemporary India. With sedentary lifestyles and competitive work schedules, it has become a leading cause of health issues, later in life. The number of senior citizens suffering from heart-related issues is on a rise for the past decade or so. But do you know how to live with a heart disease?

Do you understand how to perform elderly care duties if you have someone in your home with a heart condition? Let us help you understand how heart disease has an impact on someone’s life and how to be efficient in managing your lifestyle after a heart attack, surgery or a heart disease.

Impact of Heart Disease on Health, Body and Lifestyle

If you are someone with senior healthcare duties on yourself, you need to understand that every person’s body handles a heart condition, differently. But irrespective of how a person deals with a heart condition, mentally, there are some lifestyle changes one needs to make in the existing routine to come at terms with a heart condition. The first and foremost change one needs is a transition towards a healthier lifestyle.

As a person in the old age, or a caregiver, you need to work towards cardiac rehabilitation for increasing physical activity in life. this is essential for health management. Also, there are some precautions for different lifestyle aspects, as mentioned below:

• Adopt a holistic, balanced diet plan

After suffering from a heart condition, it is important to take excessive care of the cardiovascular system. It is important to reduce the intake of salt, sugar, saturated fat and processed foods. At the same time, the focus should be on including more fresh fruits, whole grains, vegetables and healthy fats.

• Avoid smoking

Someone with a heart condition should abstain from smoking completely. As smoking can damage arteries and vessels, it is one of the gravest risks after a heart disease. If the heart vessels get blocked due to the accumulation of fatty material, a person can suffer from a heart attack again. Also, one should try to stay in a clean environment without chances of even passive smoke entering the system.

• Perform safer activities and exercises

Becoming physically active is one of the biggest challenges after a heart condition. But at the same time, it is really essential to have an active lifestyle for a better life in the future. To start being active, it is advisable to contact a doctor and choose the right kind of exercise according to your body and heart condition.

You can start with mild exercises that don’t strain your heart and lungs. Make sure, at no point, you should struggle to breathe while exercising. Choose an exercise regimen that makes you comfortable, encourages you for more and is fun to do.

Going back to your routine after heart disease

A lot of seniors are confused whether they should opt for personal care services, go in hibernation or just start doing whatever they are up to before the condition. While it is safe to have some form of engagement in life, even during old age, but excessively indulging yourself into something is not suggested. When it comes to normal routine tasks like driving or taking a holiday, you can adhere to the following recommendations.

• Driving

As a working member of a family or even if you are retired but have a social life, you might want to continue driving on your own. But getting behind the wheel can be stressful for your heart. It is important to take a medical opinion and ask your doctor if you should indulge in an activity that requires constant concentration like driving.

• Taking a vacation

While taking a break can be liberating after a medical condition, you should still consider choosing a destination that is easily accessible and has adequate medical facilities to take care of you in case of emergencies. It is important to carry an adequate amount of medication with you if you plan to visit somewhere out of town so that you are never out of supply. Better to keep them handy so that you can take them immediately if needed. Also, never forget to consult your doctor before doing something like this.

If you are not very sure about your ability to care for a senior with a heart condition, you can always choose to engage experts who offer personal care services. Assisted living facilities are excellent at providing adequate attention and prompt elderly care in cases that require round-the-clock monitoring. Papaya Care is a reputed assisted living facility with a proven track record of taking care of seniors professionally, without forgetting the human aspect. With expert senior healthcare professionals and a clean environment to boast of, Papaya Care can be the best choice you make for your beloved elder suffering from a heart condition.