Medical experts highlight lifestyle and diet for heart health

Medical experts are emphasizing the critical link between lifestyle choices and cardiovascular health. Specialists from the Medipol Health Group highlighted that vascular health affects the entire body, including the brain and legs. Key recommendations for maintaining healthy arteries include adopting a Mediterranean-style diet, regular physical activity, maintaining an ideal weight, ensuring quality sleep, and avoiding smoking. Experts also noted the importance of monitoring blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels.

Regarding heart attack symptoms, medical professionals warn that while severe chest pain is a common indicator—often accompanied by cold sweats and pain radiating to the arms, jaw, or back—symptoms can vary. Some individuals may only experience fatigue, shortness of breath, or a sense of restlessness.

In addition to lifestyle management, dietary choices play a significant role. Interventional cardiologist Dr. Sanjay Bhojraj warned against certain foods often marketed as healthy, such as sugary breakfast cereals and processed deli meats. He noted that sugary cereals can cause insulin spikes that damage the vascular system, while processed meats containing nitrates and nitrites can raise blood pressure and have been classified by the World Health Organization as carcinogenic.