February is National Heart Month which means it’s a great time of the year to focus on your heart health. Why? Because heart disease is still the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S. About 1 out of 4 people will die of heart disease. I don’t know about you but that is scary to think about. Don’t get too scared though, because stress can also cause heart disease. Avoiding stress is actually one of the tips I suggest in the list below to keep your heart healthy. Read on if you want to know more.
This one is obvious but exercise is the best thing you can do for your heart. You should work out as least 45 minutes a day, 3-4 times a week. The great thing is that you can do whatever activity you like. It's generally good to have a mix of anaerobic and aerobic exercise, which means cardiovascular routines like running, swimming, or biking, and things like lifting weights. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s something you enjoy, because then working out doesn’t feel like work.
Another obvious choice but one that bears repeating. Your diet is a huge part of keeping your ticker ticking. So, what should you eat when there are so many options to choose from? Well for starters you should have a diet with plenty of vegetables, some fruits, lean meats like chicken, and limited carbs and dairies. Stay away from foods high in sugars, processed flours, salts, and other additives. You want fresh food with real ingredients for your diet. Go organic or farm raised and you’ll keep your heart happy.
We’ve talked about chelation therapy before and it’s definitely something you should check out. Basically, it removes heavy metals like mercury and lead from your body, but it can also remove cholesterol and fats. In this way it can lower your blood pressure and blood sugar. It’s like a deep cleaning for your body and heart. So much of the food we eat contains things we don’t want and don’t realize are bad for us until it is too late. Chelation therapy is a good way to keep your body pure and improve your heart health. If you have high blood pressure, it’s something you should look into.
Smoking is one of the worst things you can do for your heart. All that smoke damages your lungs and causes your body to work harder than it has to. Cigarettes also contain harmful chemicals like nicotine which put strain on your heart. Vapes are not much better since you are also inhaling chemicals. Basically, inhaling anything other than air is not great for your health, and affects the strength of your heart. If you are a smoker, try to quit as soon as you can, it may be difficult but if you could see what it does to your body, you would have stopped yesterday.
Like I mentioned before, stress is not great for the heart. It can increase blood pressure. It can also cause riskier behavior that leads you to do things like eat junk food, drink alcohol, and take drugs. Stress can cause you to be more impatient with people and to lose sleep at night. If you are prone to stress, make sure you exercise plenty to release endorphins, get plenty of sleep, drink chamomile tea, and see a professional if you need to talk to someone. Stress is a killer so it’s best to learn how to relax and handle it when it comes.
Sleep is good for stress and it’s also good for your heart. Our bodies have a natural clock that wakes us up at a certain time each die and gives us energy throughout the day. The best way to regulate it is to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day and to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. This is important so that you don’t wake up feeling exhausted. If you don’t think you’re sleeping well enough, make sure your mattress is comfortable, keep your room cool, get a weighted blanket, keep the room dark and quiet and you should be all set. You could also go to a sleep doctor or clinic if you’re really having issues. Sleep is more important than you realize.
Alcohol, like smoking, is another one of the worst things you can do for your heart. Abuse of alcohol can cause permanent damage to the heart and lead to stroke or heart attack. If you enjoy a drink or two each day, you might want to cut back for heart health. Try limiting yourself to 1-2 drinks each time you drink and try not to drink more than twice a week. There are other alternatives to drinking that are safer like cocktails without the alcohol, or drinks like kombucha and kava which are actually good for you. Whatever your pick, just make sure it’s not poison.
If you are looking to keep your heart healthy this month, there’s a few steps you gotta take. Make sure you exercise regularly, at least 45 minutes, 3-4 times a week. Eat a healthy diet of fresh, organic food, with plenty of vegetables, fruits, and lean meats. Try chelation therapy to improve your overall health and get rid of toxins in your body that can clog your heart. Give up smoking sooner rather than later and you will see a big difference. Also avoid stress as much as possible or learn to manage it best you can. Sleep at least 8 hours a night in a comfortable place and cut back on alcohol as well. If you can do all of these then you will have a healthier heart. Sometimes it feels like work to focus on your health, so do it with love, because if you can’t love yourself then how can you spread love to others? That’s what a healthy heart does.