How Healthy Is Your Heart? Find Out The Score

Heart diseases are one of the biggest causes of mortality or disability in our country today. Your heart could be at risk not just because of your diet and lifestyle but because of your family history too. This is why you need a heart health test that takes into account the important factors determining if you have a healthy heart. 

What You Should Know:

• Factors which influence your heart health
• How you can determine your Healthy Heart ScoreTM?

Factors that influence your heart health? 

Once you understand the factors that affect your heart health, you can then start taking steps to improve it. Here are some factors you can keep in control to keep your 

• Cholesterol 

There are two types of cholesterol: Good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL). HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol from eggs, nuts, fish and avocados can be a part of your healthy lifestyle. Foods with LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol like fried fast food, and other such foods with saturated fats can lead to atherosclerosis and other heart diseases.

• Blood pressure

High blood pressure of hypertension can often go undetected. You should check your blood pressure at regular intervals because your it can change throughout the day. You can lower your blood pressure with lifestyle changes or with medication prescribed by a doctor.

• Waist circumference

A high waist circumference is also associated with a risk of high blood pressure and cholesterol. This factor can be taken into consideration with your BMI (Body Mass Index) to understand your heart health.   

• Blood glucose level

A high blood glucose level increases the risk of heart diseases like heart attacks and stroke. Whereas if you blood glucose level is low, it can lead to dizziness. Cutting back on sweets and added sugar can help you regulate your blood glucose level. 

• Resting heart rate

Normally a resting heart rate of 60 to 100 bpm is considered normal. However, it can be affected by stress, medication and lifestyle changes. If you have irregular heart rhythm or your resting heart rate is outside the normal range, you can try and exercise to control your heart rate.  

• Family history

Your family history or genetics might also affect your heart health. While these factors might be out of your control you can still follow a healthy lifestyle that keeps your heart health in control. 

How you can determine your Healthy Heart ScoreTM?

You can use our Healthy Heart ScoreTM, on our Activ Health app, to get a clearer picture of your heart health. This score will take in all the important risk factors for heart diseases mention above, including: 

• Blood pressure, 
• BMI (Body Mass Index), 
• Cholesterol, 
• Blood glucose, 
• Hip-to-waist ratio,
• Smoker status

You can get a Day 1 cover for chronic heart diseases like Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Cholesterol and Asthma with the Activ Health – Platinum Enhanced Plan. It is a Health Insurance plan that covers costs for tests and diagnostics too. Also get access to expert health coaches for coaching on nutrition, fitness and mental health and mental wellness counselling, homeopathy tele-consultation. #ABHIKaro. Aditya Birla Health Insurance karo. For more information on fitness or nutrition, visit the Activ Living Blog.