Controlling cholesterol levels begins with a nutritious breakfast. Good breakfast choices to take into account are:

1. Oatmeal

There are many nutritious and delectable breakfast recipes that use oats or oatmeal. Smoothies made with oats and your preferred seasonal fruit, such as mango, apple, strawberry, blueberry, or banana, can be the ideal option for individuals who enjoy their food sweet. Additionally, it will keep your digestion working properly and keep you satisfied for longer. Additionally, soluble fiber included in oats has been shown to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol.

2. Eggs

Eggs are a flexible food that can be used in a variety of breakfast dishes and are a powerhouse of high-quality protein and healthy fats. You can try a boiled egg, scrambled eggs, egg sandwich, egg salad, or an omelette with vegetables as a way to start your morning off well. Eggs are a good source of protein and healthful fats that can help keep cholesterol levels in check. Just be careful not to use too many yolks.

3. Avocado

Avocados, once regarded as unusual, are now produced, among other areas, in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Sikkim. They can also be accessible in the grocery store in your neighborhood. Due to the fruit’s abundance of monounsaturated fats, levels of HDL (good) cholesterol may be increased. Healthy fats in the morning will keep you full, satisfy your hunger, and reduce cravings.

4. Berries

Berries are sweet, flavorful, and bursting with antioxidants and soluble fiber that can decrease cholesterol levels. You can eat them as is, mix them into your smoothies, or add them to your porridge.

5. Greek yogurt

Yogurt, which is high in protein and probiotics, can help lower cholesterol and enhance gastrointestinal health. Fresh fruits, nuts, herbs, or honey sprinkled over top can make it extra tasty and nutritious.

With the development of technology, people are becoming less active than before, and stress in the modern lifestyle is becoming a risk factor for heart attacks. Even if your profession is sedentary in nature, it’s still crucial to be active throughout the day. Your heart may stay healthy by walking as much as you can, using the stairs whenever you can, getting enough sleep, eating well, and abstaining from alcohol and tobacco.

Top indications of a cardiac condition that you should not disregard are:

1. Respiratory issues after vigorous activity

If you experience symptoms like shortness of breath, chest pain, or palpitations with physical activity, you are highly likely to develop heart disease.

2. Breathing difficulties in the middle of the night

Heart disease may be the cause of nighttime awakenings brought on by abrupt episodes of shortness of breath that improve with standing up.

3. Leg swelling or difficulty climbing stairs

If you experience chest pain or swelling in the leg while walking or ascending stairs, you may be suffering from valvular heart disease or weak heart muscles.

4. Family background

There is a higher possibility that your heart may be sick if you have a strong family history of heart disease or risk factors including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or poor blood sugar levels.

5. Fainting spells

When experiencing fainting-like symptoms, cardiac disease should be ruled out.

6. Chest discomfort or heaviness

A cardiac consultation should be sought if you suddenly have severe chest pain, heaviness, or burning that radiates to your jaws or left arm and gets worse over time. This is usually an indication of a growing heart attack.

7. Fatigue 

Easy fatiguability and shortness of breath with minimal effort should also raise the red flag for heart disease.

The top prebiotic foods to include in your diet are listed below:

• GARLIC: By encouraging the development of advantageous Bifidobacteria in the stomach, garlic functions as a prebiotic. Additionally, it aids in halting the spread of bacteria that cause illness.
• ONION: A multipurpose vegetable that is high in inulin and FOS is onions. FOS increases nitric oxide generation in cells, which enhances gut flora, aids in fat metabolism, and strengthens your immune system.
• FLAXSEEDS: Flaxseeds contain mucilage gum, cellulose, and lignin as their main sources of fiber. It decreases the amount of dietary fat that you digest and absorb while promoting healthy gut bacteria.
• BANANA: Another low-fructose fruit that is high in fiber and contains inulin, which promotes the formation of healthy bacteria in the gut, is the banana.
• BARLEY: Beta-glucan, a prebiotic fiber that encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract, is abundant in barley, a well-liked cereal. Additionally demonstrated to lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease is the beta-glucan found in barley.

In order to master our cardiac habits and prevent cardiovascular diseases during holiday season, we can do the following:

1. Mindfully meditate – Daily meditation has been shown to help lower stress. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, try to stay away from unhealthy coping strategies like binge eating, excessive drinking, or smoking because these will only make the situation worse in the long term. You can keep the discipline of taking your current meds as prescribed with the aid of mindfulness.

2. Refrain from excessive drinking and smoking – It’s crucial to be mindful of your heart’s needs when taking part in the festivities. Avoid using smokeless tobacco, smoking too much, or being around people who are smoking. Your blood’s oxygen content may decrease as a result of these factors, raising your blood pressure and heart rate.

3. Get a good night’s sleep – Maintaining a healthy lifestyle requires a good night’s sleep. This gets very little attention. Late nights spent partying can seriously disrupt your sleep cycle and, as a result, your body clock. Make an effort to obtain enough rest and sleep whenever you can. A increased risk of obesity, high blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes, and depression can be brought on by sleep deprivation. A good sleep cycle consists of getting at least seven hours per night.

4. Use the stairs – It’s crucial to keep active and receive at least 30 minutes of exercise every day, regardless of how much rest you give your body over the holidays. It has been demonstrated that regular exercise lowers the risk of diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity. By choosing the stairs over the elevator, you can improve your health with just one tiny change.

5. Consume fresh meals – Eating healthfully is necessary year-round, but it’s more crucial during Indian celebrations when there are many alluring sweets and fatty foods available. To protect your heart, lower your blood pressure and cholesterol, improve your blood pressure, and lower your risk of type 2 diabetes, try to eat enough of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. Processed foods, beverages, sugary snacks, and salty snacks should all be avoided or consumed in moderation.

6. Read a lot. Reading is believed to lessen stimuli and free up mental space for in-depth decision-making. There is a book that offers the solution to any issue you are having. We become more mindful of our bodies and minds as a result of reading.

7. Yoga is beneficial – Yoga is said to assist the body detoxify, reduce chronic fatigue, increase endurance, and enhance organ and immunological functioning. It thus has a reputation for reducing cardiovascular risk factors and fostering a healthier lifestyle.