Tips to Keep Your Heart Healthy

Tips to Keep Your Heart Healthy

There is no organ more affected by emotions than the heart. It is also the universal symbol of love. With so many unique traits, the heart is certainly a cause of celebration, which is why we are celebrating February as the Heart Health Awareness Month.

Here are some tips to keep your heart healthy for many years to come:

1. Have a healthy diet

   For many people, maintaining a healthy diet is not as simple as it sounds. When you become accustomed to overeating and consuming large amounts of junk food, it’s hard to break those habits. Aim for small, manageable changes to start with. Focus on incorporating more whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, low fat dairy, lean meats, and fish.

   Here are some more dietary tips:

   • Use less salt
   • Eatsmall portions and wait before getting seconds to see if you are really still hungry.
   • Drink green tea.
2. Stay happy

   Depression can be damaging to your heart. Researches show that people who often keep sad are more prone to heart diseases. Laugh out loud- it enhances your blood flow and keeps the heart healthy.

3. Exercise more

   We all know that exercising has many benefits. It can improve strength, keep the pounds off, reduce stress, and increase your energy levels. Adding just ten minutes of walking to your daily routine can drastically improve your heart health.

   Be sure to try different types of physical activities and stick with the ones that you enjoy. This will keep you motivated and you’ll be less likely to find excuses to skip the daily routine. Try activities like biking, skating, or jogging with a friend etc.

   If you think your schedule doesn’t allow exercise, get creative. Park further away from your destination. This will force you to walk. Skip the elevator and use stairs. Or go for a walk after dinner.

4. Quit alcohol and smoking

   Smoking and drinking are harmful to the heart. You need willpower to kick these habits. While smoking or alcohol may seem like fun now, they have long term serious effects.

5. Manage your stress

   When things get a bit difficult, we lose our cool and become stressed. As a result, our appetite can change and people often turn to alcohol and cigarettes as stress releivers. It’s very important to manage stress level. When things get tough, take a break. Resist that urge to light a cigarette, and instead, have a healthy snack or go for a walk. Talk to people, socialize, and make new friends.

Which of these habits do you already do? Which will you be incorporating into your lifestyle from now on?

Submitted by: Molly Clarke