With February being American Heart Month, it is important to make sure that you are taking the best care of your heart as possible in order to live a healthy life. There are many things that you can do to take care of your heart. If you are interested in learning 8 ways to improve your heart health, continue reading.
Drink Enough Water
The amount of exercise you get, your environment, and your overall health, determine how much water you should be drinking in a day. Typically, it is recommended that men drink about 15.5 cups of water per day while women should drink 11.5 cups per day. Make sure that you have a reusable water bottle by you during the day and set a reminder every 30 minutes to drink water. This is one tip that can help you make sure that you are getting enough water in your body each day.
Eat More Whole Foods
Eating more whole foods includes fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and healthy proteins such as fish. It is a good idea to try to eat five or more fruits and vegetables each day. Eating a whole-food-based diet can help reduce heart disease risk factors like body weight and blood sugar levels.
Do Not Skip Meals
In order to maintain a healthy heart, it is a good idea to not skip any meals. By going more than five hours without eating, it can lead to you overeating later in the day. Eating consistent healthy meals and snacks will help your metabolism stay on track and also reduce the risk of overeating. Healthy snacks that are good to have on hand to snack on between meals include fruits, yogurt or nuts.
Exercise
Getting regular exercise can help prevent obesity, reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood sugar levels and improve your mental health. Choosing to exercise doesn’t have to mean committing to a five-mile run every day. Making small changes at first such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking further away from your destination can help make a big difference overall. Exercising for 30 minutes a day can prevent 1 in 12 early deaths.
Dedicate Time for Self-Care
Your mental health is equally as important as your physical one. With work, family, and everything else that you are responsible for, it is easy to get burnt out. In order to make sure that you are not getting burnt out, it is important to take time for self-care. Self-care can reduce stress and anxiety and can even boost your self-esteem. Self-care ideas can include taking time to do the things you enjoy such as reading, meditating, yoga, taking a bath or painting.
Spend More Time Outside
Getting outside and spending time in nature can lower your blood pressure and stress hormone levels, reduce anxiety and can also improve your mood. Therefore, get outside and take a walk or hike, garden, or even simply enjoy the fresh air. It can help improve your overall well-being.
Ditch Sugary Drinks
Drinking too many sugary drinks can lead to an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, etc. Instead, reach for water or low-fat milk. If you are looking for extra flavor to add to your drinks, you can add fresh fruits and herbs such as lemons and mint.
Cut Down on Alcohol
There are some reports out there that say that drinking a glass of red wine may be beneficial to your heart; however, there is no proof that this is true. Therefore, it is a good idea to try and limit your consumption. Drinking an excessive amount of alcohol can lead to abnormal heart rhythms, high blood pressure and other diseases such as stroke, liver problems and even some cancers.
Doing what you can to improve your heart health plays an important role in your physical and mental health. By implementing these tips into your daily life, it will ensure that your heart is the healthiest that it can be. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact us.
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