Protect your heart at any age: The best tips for a strong heart and less stress - from 20 to 60+.
No matter whether you are in your 20s, 30s or already 60: your heart health deserves full attention! Every age brings different challenges for your cardiovascular system. Here you will find out how you can best protect your heart in the different phases of your life and what magnesium has to do with it.
Reading tips:
In your 20s: Start early and lay the foundation
In your 20s, it's easy to neglect your heart because health problems often don't yet become noticeable. But right now you should lay the foundation for a healthy heart.
What you can do:
- Stress management: Stress at school, study or work can have a long-term negative impact on your heart. Magnesium-rich foods like almonds and whole grains support your nervous system and reduce stress.
Your to-do: Lead oneregular magnesium intakeby integrating nuts and seeds and other foods that are as natural as possible (whole grain products, brown rice, etc.) into your diet every day. - Regular exercise: Intense training sessions mean loss of magnesium through sweat. Magnesium supports muscle function and prevents cramps.
Your to-do: Be sure to eat magnesium-rich foods or take a supplement after exercise to make up for the loss.
In your 30s: Prevention becomes important
Work, family, social obligations – everyday life often becomes stressful in the 30s. This makes it all the more important to take preventive measures now:
What you can do:
- Prevent high blood pressure: Magnesium helps relax blood vessels and regulate blood pressure. A large study by Harvard University shows that people with sufficient magnesium intake are less likely to suffer from high blood pressure and heart attacks.
Your to-do: Include magnesium-rich foods like dailygreen leafy vegetables, whole grainsandlegumesinto your diet. - Short breaks: Long, continuous work can deplete the energy of your body and heart. Short breaks in exercise help to promote blood circulation and give your body a charge of energy.
Your to-do: Take a 5-minute movement break every hour. Go for a short walk or do light stretching exercises to improve blood circulation.
In your 40s: Focus on the heart
The first signs of cardiovascular problems often appear in the 40s. Now it is particularly important to take targeted precautions:
What you can do:
- Prevention of cardiac arrhythmias: Studies of theMayo Clinichave shown that magnesium can help stabilize heart rhythm and reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation.
Your to-do: Supplement your diet withmagnesium-rich foodsor rely on nutritional supplements to meet your needs. - Keep calcium and magnesium in balance: Increased calcium intake without enough magnesium can promote hardening of the arteries.
Your to-do: If you take calcium supplements, make sure you also consume enough magnesium to maintain the right balance. - Regular health checks: Have your blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked regularly so that you can take timely action if values rise.
Your to-do: Schedule an annual check-up with your doctor to identify risk factors such as high blood pressure early.
Onmeda-Quiz:Cardiovascular diseases: knowledge can protect!
In your 50s: Prevention at the next level
In your 50s, heart health becomes even more important. Cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis are now becoming more common.
What you can do:
- Keep blood pressure under control: High blood pressure is an important risk factor for heart attacks. Magnesium helps regulate blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Your to-do: Reduce your consumption of processed foods, which are often high in salt, and increase your intake of magnesium-rich foods such asSpinachorpumpkin seedsand other foods that are as natural as possible. - Protection against arteriosclerosis: Magnesium acts as an antagonist of calcium and counteracts the deposition of calcium in the arteries.
Your to-do: Introduce a daily magnesium intake of 300 to 400 mg to prevent hardening of the arteries.
Also read:
In your 60s and beyond: Keep your heart strong
In the 60s, the risk of heart attacks and strokes increases significantly. Magnesium remains crucial in this phase of life.
What you can do:
- Stable heart rhythm: Magnesium helps regulate cardiac arrhythmias, which occur more frequently with age.
Your to-do: Make sure you dailyMagnesium-rich foodslike beans, avocados and whole grains. - Promote blood circulation: With increasing age, blood circulation often becomes worse. Magnesium relaxes blood vessels and improves blood circulation.
Your to-do: Move regularly and incorporate light physical activities into your everyday life - walks or swimming promote blood circulation and keep your heart fit.
Magnesium-rich foods for all ages
A diet rich in magnesium is the key to a strong heart at every stage of life. Here are some foods you should regularly include in your diet:
- Whole grain products(whole grain bread, oatmeal)
- Nuts and seeds(almonds, sunflower seeds)
- Green leafy vegetables(spinach, chard)
- legumes(peas, lentils, beans)
Conclusion: Protect your heart in every phase of life
No matter what age you are, preventing cardiovascular disease starts with the right diet and adequate magnesium intake. Scientific studies like thisFramingham Heart Studyand the research of theHarvard University, prove the protective effects of magnesium. With the right diet and healthy habits, you can optimally protect your heart at every stage of life!
© AdobeStock/ Alexey
Magnesium deficiency: These are typical symptoms
© AdobeStock/ sonyakamoz
Magnesium deficiency can have negative effects on health.
Vital for the body: Magnesium is one of the minerals that we must consume in sufficient quantities with food. A magnesium deficiency has very typical symptoms which, if left unnoticed and untreated, can cause serious problems for our health.
Die German Society for Nutrition recommends that an adult woman consume 300 milligrams of magnesium per day with food. Men are given a daily amount ofapproximately 350 mg recommended.
© AdobeStock / Vladislav Noseek
Grains such as oatmeal provide magnesium.
Anyone who often suffers from digestive problems such as constipation and diarrhea, usually alternating, should have this checked by a doctor, as such complaints can indicate a magnesium deficiency.
A deficiency can be counteracted through a balanced and varied diet. For example, 100 g of oat flakes provide a good 130 mg of magnesium.
Sources:
Framingham Heart Study und MagnesiumFramingham Heart Study on the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) website
Magnesium and coronary artery calcificationMagnesium Intake and Coronary Artery Calcification – American College of Cardiology
Harvard study on magnesium and heart health in womenMagnesium reduces sudden heart failure risk for women – NutraIngredients
Mayo Clinic – Magnesium and cardiac arrhythmiasMayo Clinic – Heart Arrhythmia
Important NOTE:This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace a medical diagnosis. If you have any uncertainties, urgent questions or acute symptoms, you should contact your doctor or ask for advice at the pharmacy. The medical on-call service can be reached via the nationwide number 116117.
