6 Healthy Ways of Living With Heart Disease

Yaw Manu has recently been diagnosed with heart disease and he is filled with apprehensions about the future. “This diagnosis could not have come at a worse time. My marriage is in a mess and my wife is threatening to divorce me. One of my sons died recently of a car crash and I recently lost my mother who battled for years with stroke. I am confused! I want to know, can I live with this heart disease? Or does this mean this is the end of the road for me? What are my chances of living for many years with this heart disease?  I mean, do I have any chance of living a long life with this heart disease? Hmmm! I feel terrible,” Yaw says, with a worried look on his face.

Like Yaw, you may also have been diagnosed with heart disease and you may be wondering how you can cope with this condition. In this article, I want to give you tips for living with heart disease so that you can remain strong and healthy for years.

So, what can you do?

1.    Reduce The Amount Of Sugar You Consume

Some studies have revealed that eating too much sugar can have an adverse effect on your health: sugar can increase your risk of becoming obese, which can lead to a situation where your heart will work under greater stress. Additionally, eating too much sugar can make your blood pressure rise, which can increase the likelihood that you may suffer a heart attack.

Furthermore, too much sugar can help to increase levels of cholesterol in your body and that cholesterol may block the arteries of your heart and cause a heart attack.

The American Heart Association recommends that a woman should eat not more than 6 teaspoons of sugar a day, whilst men are advised to eat no more than 9 teaspoons of sugar a day. You may also use these tips to help you reduce your consumption of sugar if you have a problem controlling your sugar intake.

2.    Limit The Amount Of Cholesterol You Eat

Too much cholesterol is bad for your heart: too much cholesterol in your body can cause the cholesterol to clog the arteries of your heart and that can reduce the amount of blood your heart receives and you may suffer chest pains as a result.

So, eat 900 mg of raw garlic often: research suggests that this food can help to reduce the total amount of cholesterol in the body when consumed regularly.

You may choose to eat two cloves of raw garlic every evening with your dinner or grate two cloves of garlic with a plastic grater and swallow it with a glass of warm water after your dinner.

Additionally, you may use these tips too to reduce the levels of cholesterol in your body so that your heart can function properly.

3.    Manage Your Weight

Obesity has also been linked to heart disease: according to some studies, obesity helps quicken atherosclerosis (or the hardening of the arteries of the heart), and that can weaken your heart. Some studies suggest that losing weight by more than 5% (or on average about 10% weight loss) can improve mortality risk in cardiac patients. Alternatively, losing weight by about 8 kilograms can make your heart stronger.

So, eat slowly when you are consuming your breakfast, lunch, and supper cut down on your consumption of fats, consume ginger and grapefruit often, and exercise regularly because research suggests that doing these things can help one to cut down on his or her weight. Alternatively, you may choose to eat a Mediterranean diet.

4.    Exercise Every Day

Exercising is good for the heart: exercising will cause your brain to release “feel good” chemicals known as endorphins which will boost your mood and help you to feel happy.

Additionally, exercises will stimulate the release of nitric oxide which will make the arteries of your heart relax and that can help to lower your blood pressure.

Furthermore, exercises will help you to maintain a healthy weight so that you will not put too much strain on your heart.

So, do gardening, mow lawns, prune trees, do brisk walking in your yard, take your dog for walks, jog, dance to your favorite upbeat songs often, or go to church and dance to God’s glory and you will burn a few calories and that can keep your heart healthy.

5.    Deal With Worries And Fears By Reading Your Bible

One thing that may plaque you when you are diagnosed with heart disease is that you may start worrying about your new status. Furthermore, you may have fears about suffering worse heart conditions.

One way to deal with these worries and fears is to read your Bible every day. The Bible contains lots of inspirational and motivational words that can help to lift your spirit and give you hope for tomorrow.

For example, verses such as Isaiah 43 v 1—3 which says, “When you pass through the waters I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame  shall not consume you.”

In other words, God is still with you and He shall not allow you to suffer beyond your ability and He will help you to withstand the discomfort, inconveniences, pain, and weaknesses that you may experience.

Reading verses such as these and the many other equally inspiring words of God will help to boost your faith in God and remind you that there is hope for today and hope for tomorrow and that can help you to have peace of mind.  

  

6.    Pray Every Day

Prayer can help to boost your faith and strengthen your hope and make you feel that you can cope with the heart disease, survive, and live a fulfilling life in spite of your condition.

Additionally, when you pray and commit your situation into the hands of God, it will help you to remind yourself that there is a Power who holds the whole world in His hands and who will hold you, protect you, and keep you and that can help you to calm down.

So, every morning and evening, say prayers such as this one, “Dear God, I come to you this day to ask You for mercy and grace. Father, please forgive me for my sins and hear my prayer. I adore You and magnify Your Name for no one and nothing can be compared with You. You are the God who gives life, who gives us free energy, who gives us free rain, who gives me food to eat every day, and who blesses me with clothes and shelter. Glory be to Your holy Name. I thank You that my health status is not as bad as that of others. Please LORD, Glorious Jehovah, Helper of the helpless, Hope of the hopeless, Friend to the lonely, God who binds up broken hearts and binds up emotional wounds, please grant me your grace this day so that I can enjoy the life You have given me. Please strengthen my faith in You so that I will not be angry with You and blame You for my condition. Please help me to see and enjoy the wonders of the world every day so that I will not feel depressed and anxious. Please help me to use my situation and my story to inspire others who also have heart diseases and who are struggling to cope with their situation. And please touch my heart and heal me for I know You are the miracle-working God who works wonders and does marvelous things without number. Amen.”

Alternatively, you may ask your loved ones to pray for you when you are going to the hospital for heart procedures.

Conclusion

Living with heart disease can be a stressful journey, but you can cope well with this journey if you reduce the amount of sugar in your diet, and if you lower the levels of cholesterol in your diet, manage your weight, exercise often, mange your fears and worries, and seek spiritual help and strength from God. And you may read the story of this person who is also going through this same experience.

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