It's Valentine's Day and I wanted to kick off a new series of posts on my platform about heart health. Heart health is imperative for a long life. Whether you are young or old or in between, you should always be aware of how your lifestyle can affect your heart. My research revealed some startling truths--but that will be the next post. This post is about how to have a heart healthy lifestyle so that we can all live long, healthy and happy lives.
Doing these few easy steps will ensure that you never have to worry about the scary side of heart health--heart disease. Preventing heart disease starts early, because these mechanisms are at work inside of you, regardless if you pay attention or not. Let's pay attention to the positive aspects of heart health...
A Heart Healthy Lifestyle is as Easy as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
A healthy lifestyle can prevent heart disease. It can also ensure that certain conditions do not lead to the adverse effects of heart disease like heart attack. So, how can we maintain a healthy lifestyle? It's relatively easy.
(Aside: If you have trauma that affects the way you treat yourself then it may be more challenging to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Addressing trauma through therapy will help. Some side-effects of trauma are very self-destructive. I'll try to address these in subsequent posts, but getting a professional opinion is always best. I am not a professional. However, for now, committing to taking some healthy tiny steps is a step in the right direction.)
There are several important factors to consider, according to the article "Strategies to Prevent Heart Disease" from the Mayo Clinic.
1. Don't Smoke:
The chemicals in cigarettes damage heart and blood vessels, and the smoke strips your blood of much needed oxygen, which your body and brain need. Try to avoid second hand smoke if you can, it has the same effect. The good news is that as soon as you quit, your body starts to recover.
2. Get Daily Exercise:
There are many ways to exercise. Aim for 30-60 minutes a day, but even a little every day helps. If you don't exercise then work up to these amounts gradually. Exercise can also help you lose weight.
3. Maintain a Healthy Diet
Eating healthy protects your heart and can give you better blood pressure readings and lower your cholesterol -- or prevent these from being unhealthy. It can also prevent type 2 diabetes from becoming part of your life. You'll want lots of veggies and fruits, some beans/legumes, lean meat, poultry and fish, low/no fat dairy products, whole grains (try some new ones like quinoas or flax), and good fats like olive oil. You will also want to cut down/out salt, sugar, processed carbs, alcohol, as well as saturated and trans fats found in things like deep fried foods.
4. Strive for a Healthy Weight
Being overweight is not good for your heart. That is the plain and simple truth. The good news is that if you eat healthy and exercise losing weight will be part of your journey. Even losing a bit of weight can help. The Mayo Clinic says: "Reducing weight by just 3% to 5% can help decrease certain fats in the blood (triglycerides), lower blood sugar (glucose) and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Losing even more helps lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol level."
5. Get Enough Sleep
Sleeping is important. Not getting enough can elevate your risk of: "obesity, high blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes and depression." You should be getting about seven hours of sleep every night. Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. If you find it challenging, try these tips from me, a former insomniac and very light sleeper: make your bedroom sleep-oriented, keep your room dark, wear earplugs, have a bedtime routine. If you do sleep enough and are still tired, get checked for sleep apnea.
6. Manage Stress
Stress is a killer. I have noticed that stress elevates my already high blood pressure. It is important to find healthy ways to deal with your stress, or to eliminate stress when it is possible. Stress can lead to overeating, alcohol abuse, etc. so find some healthy ways to deal with your stress like meditation or exercise. Yoga is a great way to cope with stress---but you have to be mindful about it.
7. Go to the Doctor.
I was fearful of going to the doctor, and put it off for about three years! I am currently waiting for the results of a bunch of tests, and it is literally a 'keeping my fingers crossed' experience. You can do better than me. Whatever your reason for not going, you have to overcome it. Literally, your life can depend on it. Your doctor or your local walk-in clinic is there to help you stay, be, or get healthy. Regular testing for blood pressure, cholesterol levels and type 2 diabetes can keep or make your heart healthy.
Wow, this post was way longer than anticipated. Nonetheless, living a healthy lifestyle is relatively easy, if you know how to do it. I hope this post is a first step, if you need it.
Take care,
Faith
This is a link to the article from which I gleaned much of the wisdom in this post:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/heart-disease-prevention/art-20046502
Comments