Are You Heart Healthy?

How healthy are you? There are so many small things you can do in your life to improve your heart health. You may not need a mass makeover.

Jogging

Can you walk or jog? You Might ask yourself are there mini-changes I can make in my life to improve my heart health?

1. Reading Labels

It is so important to read labels because even though food may taste good to you it may not be good for you. Try to make it a habit to know what is in your food. I like that Tyson meats have no antibiotics in them. That is a plus.

2. Exercise

You want to do the exercise that is best for you. I cannot emphasize enough the power in walking. I walk at least 1-2 days a week. In addition although I do not use an exercise bike, I now have a step exerciser. I use it sitting down when I am watching television.

3. Movement

Keeping the body moving is important. When Michelle Obama introduced the Let’s Move in the schools several years ago, I believe that was an awesome thing to do. Have you considered walking on your lunch hour. I have seen several doing that at their work place. Although hopkinsmedicine.org suggest to aim for 150 minutes of exercise a week, they also suggest checking with your doctor before starting a regimen and that 30 minutes a day or 10-15 minutes at a stretch. Let’s face it in today’s society nearly everyone is busy. So you might just try to carve small amounts of time for movement possibly walking around your house or in your condominium complex. I make it a point when going to the store to park not closer in the parking lot but farther away. So I can get extra walking into my daily life.

4. Cardio

Should you decide to do cardio exercise, there are numerous free utube exercise programs. You can exercise using the utube video.

5. Zumba

Zumba is great for those that like to dance. There are numerous free Zumba utube videos as well. I used to Zumba, but I did not like that I would sweat my hair out even though I know the purpose of exercise is to build up a sweat.

6. Sleep

Are you a workaholic? Are you staying up late constantly to meet deadlines? Are you staying up late cramming for school tests? Well according to webmd.com good-quality sleep decrease the work of your heart, as blood pressure and heart rate go down at night. They further add lack of sleep can increase insulin resistance a factor for development of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and can also interfere with appetite regulation so you may end up eating more or eating foods that are less healthy for your heart.

7. Dancing

For those of you that like to dance trying dancing to your favorite music.

8. Sweets or fruit

When you are tempted to eat sweets such as cake or cookies maybe instead try replacing it with fruit. I recall when I was attempting to stop smoking I discovered I needed something to do with my hands, because I was used to having a cigarette in my hand. So I started replacing the cigarette with vegetables and fruit. I made it a point to carry vegetables or fruit with me instead of cigarettes.

9. Stretching

Make it a point to stretch daily. That is something that I had forgotten about. I have observed that my husband would stretch often, but it never dawned on me that I should be stretching as well.

10. Relaxing and Meditating

Take time to relax. Slow down. Remember the old saying “Rome was not built in a day.” Ask yourself,” Do I have to do this or that today? Can it wait until tomorrow?

11. Example

Remember if you have children they are watching you. Try and set a good example for them. Remember they may not listen to all that you say, but they definitely will watch all that you do. I recall when my grandchildren were younger my grandson would watch my husband. My husband would pick at his mustache while watching television. I observed my grandson sitting up pretending to pick at his fake mustache. Until then I did not know how closely they observed their grandfather.

12. Stop Worrying

I know from experience this is easier said than done, but according to webmd.com high levels of anxiety can trigger those stress hormones that make your heart beat faster and harder. When this happens over and over your blood vessels may get inflamed thus leading to harden artery walls, unhealthy cholesterol levels, and other problems.

13. Deep Breathing

I have mentioned this before deep breathing has a calming effect on your body. I do it on a daily basis. Ten deep breaths slowly. When you are anxious try deep breathing. When you are going through your hustle and bustle daily routines you may forget to breathe properly, especially if you are one that is constantly rushing to me deadlines or to get from point A to point Z. Take time as someone has said, “To smell the coffee.” Take time to enjoy your life. Look at the small moments. Look at the minor details. Show gratitude to others that are helpful to you. There is an old adage, “Give them their flowers while they yet live.” Giving is so therapeutic. Take the time to think about someone else other than yourself. What mini techniques do you do for a healthy heart? I would love to hear from you.

13. Benefits of a Healthy Heart

According to eehealthy.org., a healthy heart can lower blood pressure, improve blood flow, improve workout efficiency, lower cholesterol, decrease risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and reduce the incidence of heart arrhythmia.

All of the above are mini-steps that you can take for a healthy heart. They can be incorporated into your daily life slowly. It does not have to be a big burst.

Photo Caption: Clipart.com

Sources:

ABCs of Moving More for Heart Health

 

How Your Sleep Affects Your Heart

 

7 ways your heart benefits from exercise

How Worry Affects Your Body

 

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