Atrial fibrillation is a type of arrhythmia that can lead to many complications like stroke and heart attacks. The condition can affect anyone, especially people with heart problems and those undergoing tremendous stress. If you are diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, there are many things that you need to take note of in order to keep your heart healthy and pumping away. Many people believe that atrial fibrillation spells the end of their life and that they have to lead a sedentary lifestyle from then on. This is not true. The condition can be managed quite effectively with some healthy lifestyle changes and adequate exercise.
Following a strict regime of exercise and healthy practices will help you lead a normal and complete life with atrial fibrillation. The tips mentioned here are in no way difficult to follow and also help people with other conditions like diabetes, heart diseases and high blood pressure. Controlling atrial fibrillation is very important to increase your chances of a healthy life and also to avoid heart related complications that can put your life in jeopardy and cause you great trouble throughout your life.
Exercise
Exercise is beneficial for people from all walks of life, let alone people suffering from atrial fibrillation. The importance of exercise becomes manifold when you have heart problems like atrial fibrillation. Regular exercise helps in strengthening the heart muscles and also in preventing complications like stroke that is very common with people suffering from atrial fibrillation. Exercise improves blood circulation and increases the stress bearing capacity of the heart as well. It is also a great way to keep your weight under check and reduce cholesterol levels in the body; all of which are extremely essential for leading a normal and healthy life when you have atrial fibrillation. Make it a point to find time for at least half an hour of walking, running or other light exercises which can help in increasing the heart rate and develop resistance to manage stress.
Stress management
Stress is a great factor that can lead to atrial fibrillation and resultant complications. Therefore, it is important to keep stress under control in order to prevent recurrence and complications. To manage stress, a number of ways can be incorporated in your life. Meditation and yoga are the most important techniques that help in busting stress in your life. Practicing deep breathing exercises like inhaling and exhaling deeply to a count of ten when under stress helps in relaxing your body and mind without falling for stress. Regular exercise for at least 30 minutes a day is another way to combat stress in life. Keeping the stress under control is also a good way to reduce the instances of hypertension and other diseases and lead a healthy life overall.
Heart healthy diet
Conditions like atrial fibrillation and other heart problems make it important to keep watch on your diet to prevent further complications and lead a healthy life. A well balanced diet is very important for protecting your heart muscles and preventing instances of cholesterol, high blood pressure and stroke. It is important to keep your sodium intake low to reduce the possibility of developing high blood pressure and causing atrial fibrillation and other heart problems. Maintaining your cholesterol levels too is important in order to prevent clogging of arteries. Therefore, reduce the fat intake and add more fruits and vegetables to your diet. Some of the heart healthy foods that help in repairing the damage caused to the muscles and prevent further damage through the action of phytonutrients are asparagus, sweet potato, legumes, fatty fish, nuts beans, flax seeds, almonds, walnuts, kidney beans, carrots, broccoli, spinach, soy milk, blueberries, tomatoes, papayas etc.
Maintain a healthy weight
Obesity is another major factor that can lead to the development of atrial fibrillation. In people who already suffer form atrial fibrillation, obesity can worsen the condition and lead to increased risk of a heart attack or stroke. Maintain a healthy weight and body mass index to prevent stress on the heart. A healthy weight will prevent the development of atrial fibrillation and also help in managing the atrial fibrillation without further complications. A healthy and well balanced diet that is low in fat, sugar, sodium etc. and regular exercise will help in managing your weight adequately. Weight management is very important when you have atrial fibrillation and directly impacts your well being and longevity as well. An important factor in weight management is exercise. At least half an hour of exercise 4-5 days a week is recommended for controlling the weight and atrial fibrillation.
Quit smoking
Habits like smoking can put your heart health at risk and can lead to many heart conditions including atrial fibrillation. For people who already have this condition, quitting smoking is very important in order to prevent complications and development of other heart diseases. When you smoke, the nicotine which is present in tobacco acts as a stimulant in your body and can increase your heart rate. Frequent stimulation of the heart will increase the heart beats and can lead to a stroke or heart attack, when you have atrial fibrillation. Therefore, for managing the symptoms of atrial fibrillation, quitting smoking is very important. Smoking is not only injurious to the heart, but also to the lungs and can cause a number of cancerous formations that put your life at risk.
Limit alcohol intake
Just like smoking, alcohol intake too can worsen atrial fibrillation and hence must be controlled completely. Moderate alcohol consumption is known to be beneficial to the heart, but excess consumption must be curtailed at any cost for a healthy and tension free life. Intake of excess alcohol releases toxins into the body which directly impacts the health of the heart as well. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms, which involve the release of cortisol, the stress hormone and led to dehydration, can increase the occurrence of atrial fibrillation and worsen the condition in people who already suffer from atrial fibrillation. Limit the intake of alcohol after consulting a doctor to assess as to how much is good for your heart.
Manage cholesterol levels
Cholesterol can cause a number of heart problems like atherosclerosis, which is the hardening or clogging of arterial wall, leading to poor blood circulation and instances of heart attacks and stroke. High amounts of blood cholesterol can worsen atrial fibrillation and can also increase the susceptibility of the person towards developing atrial fibrillation. Therefore, following a low fat diet and incorporating healthy practices and foods that help in reducing cholesterol must be considered to keep the atrial fibrillation under control and prevent other heart problems from surfacing. Cholesterol reducing foods like beans, oats, nuts, soy, whole grains, flax seeds, citrus fruits, apples, grapes etc. can be taken in plenty to keep the cholesterol under check and control atrial fibrillation and other heart problems.
Keep your diabetes under control
Several researches on the link between diabetes and atrial fibrillation have been under the scanner as they point to a certain link that increases a person’s susceptibility to developing atrial fibrillation. Studies on this subject point to the fact that people who are diabetic are at increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation. If you have atrial fibrillation and have diabetes, it is important to keep your diabetes under control in order to reduce the chances of atrial fibrillation from getting worse. Managing your diabetes involves a controlled diet, weight management and adequate exercise. This will help in the overall health of your body and also the control of atrial fibrillation, without further complications.
Avoid stimulants
Last but not the least, it is extremely important to avoid stimulants of all types when you have atrial fibrillation. It is a known fact that excessive use of stimulants which are legal as well as illegal can lead to atrial fibrillation and other forms of arrhythmia even in people who are generally healthy and do not have any heart condition. Stimulant drinks such as tea, coffee, sodas, cocaine, colas, tobacco, chocolates etc. contain caffeine, nicotine and other stimulants that increase your heart rate and lead to complications of the heart like a heart attack and stroke. Frequent irregularity in the heart beat can cause coagulation of blood which results in blood clotting and pooling, leading to a stroke or attack. Therefore, avoid stimulants completely when you have atrial fibrillation. This will reduce the triggers that can lead to the condition.
