Here’s good news: following a heart-healthy lifestyle can help you avoid or improve atrial fibrillation (AFib).
Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat, a rapid heartbeat or a quivering of the upper chambers of the heart, called the atria. AFib is the most common heart irregularity, or cardiac arrhythmia. Untreated AFib can lead to lead to stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications.
The risk factors for AFib include existing heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and heavy drinking.
Adopting the following healthy habits can help lower your risk for not only AFib, but all types of heart disease and the chronic conditions listed above.
Get regular physical activity
Maintain a healthy weight
Manage high blood pressure
Eat a heart-healthy diet
Limit your intake of alcohol and caffeine
Avoid excessive amounts of alcohol and caffeine
Reduce salt intake
Control cholesterol
Manage sleep apnea
Quit smoking
Reduce stress
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