Heart diseases have become more common than we can imagine and aren't even restricted by age with people as young as in their twenties are suffering from cardiovascular ailments. According to WHO, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the number 1 cause of death globally and are taking about 17.9 million lives each year. CVDs are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels and include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease amongst other conditions. It is important to keep your heart healthy and fortunately, it is also easy to do so by bringing in some critical changes in your lifestyle. World Heart Day 2020 Date and History: Know Significance of The Day That Creates Awareness About Healthy Heart.

Every year, World Heart Day is observed on September 29 around the world to create awareness around the globe about CVDs. The day is created by the World Heart Federation to educate people about CVDs which is said to be the world's leading cause of death claiming 17.9 million lives each year. On this here are some ways to keep your heart healthy that you might want to include in your lifestyle:

Lower Your Salt Intake: excessive salt is your hearts worst enemy. Check your diet for a high amount of salt in it. Salty diet can increase your blood pressure which can, in turn, elevate your risk of suffering from heart disease or stroke.

Low Sugar, Balanced Diet: Opt for fibre+ protein-rich diet with low sugar and immense fibre to protect your heart health. Keep CVDs at bay by consuming a balanced diet.

Limit Your Saturated Fat Intake: Choose healthy, wholesome sources of natural fats in a limited amount, stay away from saturated fats.

Lean Meat is Always Better: Eat fish cooked in a healthy manner. Lean meat is a great source of protein that is extremely healthy for the heart.

Quit smoking and Alcohol: Do not smoke or drink alcohol for a healthy heart.

Exercise is a MUST: Opt for any form of exercise that involves cardio and a little bit of muscle training. You don't have to necessarily lift weights, even daily yoga counts!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 28, 2020 07:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).