Heart health, the basics
Cardiovascular disease is the number one health threat in America today. It affects men and women and is the number one killer in the United States. It is however, preventable. With a little knowledge on heart health, the basics and some healthy living tips it doesn't have to be.
Would anyone really and deliberately destroy the most important organ in their body? No, of course they wouldn't, however it seems to be the growing trend in health related illnesses that heart disease continues to increase. There is a lot of advice going around today on how to keep your heart healthy and everyone seems to have an opinion. But who do you listen to? Which opinions are right? Well, there has been extensive research done on some of the major factors that can help keep your heart healthy; basic ways to live a healthier and longer life. Let's take a look at some of those factors:
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- Reduce the amount of fat you take into your body. We all know from studying the Food Guide Pyramid that some fats can be good for your body. In fact without fat you would probably die. With that being said, let us remind you that there is a delicate balance when it comes to sweets and fatty foods. Saturated fats can have a huge affect on blood cholesterol levels, so steer clear of full fat dairy products, cakes, cookies, pastries, and those greasy hamburgers. You can replace the saturated fats with monosaturated fats like olive oil or nuts. Polyunsaturated fats can actually help reduce your cholesterol so try eating more fish like salmon.
- Regular Exercise. This should be a no brainer right. Just like plants need oxygen to live, so does your heart. It needs to be exercised, it needs oxygen and a constant daily routine that includes exercise. The recommended amount of time for physical exercise daily is 30 minutes, so do yourself a huge favor and get up a little earlier to get your heart pumping and to keep it healthy.
- Watch your weight. Eating too many calories a day is going to increase your weight, which is going to increase how hard your heart has to work to pump blood through your body. Eating fatty and greasy foods, as well as too many sweets is bad for your body; there's no way around it. Gaining weight can make you lethargic, decrease your self esteem, and place a lot of strain on your heart. Eat more fruits and vegetables; stick to your "5-a-day" plan, and try not to eat as much sugar. Try to include soy protein in your daily diet. Many studies have proved that soy protein can actually help lower levels of total cholesterol as well as the bad cholesterol.
- Break the habit and stop smoking. Smoking is one of the most addictive habits out there and extremely difficult to break. The best solution would be to never start, because your heart suffers greatly from it as well as the rest of your body. If you can stop smoking you can reduce the risks of getting heart disease and other respiratory diseases associated with smoking. Smoking is also linked to emphysema, cancer, and strokes. If you smoke, this will probably be the toughest thing for you to do, but your heart will definitely thank you for it some day.
- Take a day off. This doesn't have to be literal unless you really want one; all it means is that you need to relax every now and then. Stress can be as hard on your heart as greasy foods so don't forget to take some time to yourself; meditate, go to the beach, go shopping. Do something that helps you relax and get away from the 9-5 work shift.
If you want you want to increase the length of your life keeping your heart healthy and knowing the basics of what keep it healthy can help you do that. Your heart works hard enough, so give it a break and be healthy.
