Heart disease kills thousands of men and women. VitalCare Family Practice wants our patients to be healthy and happy for a long time to come. Making some simple lifestyle changes and taking these steps will help maintain a healthy heart and keep your body fit.
Stay Physically Active
Give your heart a healthy workout with moderate physical activity. Break up the time you spend sitting by getting up and doing some light exercises, taking a walk, or stretching. This is one healthy habit worth sticking to, no matter your age!
Avoid Smoking and Secondhand Smoke
Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood vessels, it damages the walls of the blood vessels, and it can lead to the narrowing, clogging, and stiffening of blood vessels. All these things put a smoker at a higher risk of heart-related diseases than a non-smoker. Secondhand smoke can do the same damage even to a non-smoker.
Lower Your Blood Pressure to Below 120/80
The higher your blood pressure, the greater your risk of heart failure, stroke, and other heart-related diseases. Keep good records of your blood pressure, see your doctor for ways to keep it low, and lead a healthier lifestyle for a natural way to lower your blood pressure.
Improve Your Eating Habits
Avoid foods high in trans fat, which can raise your bad cholesterol levels. Eat more fruits and vegetables, and start your day out with whole-grains. Cut back on sodium. Eat fish for Omega-3 fatty acids, which are heart-healthy. Try to maintain a healthy weight. Being on a good diet keeps your whole body healthy, including your heart. One good habit leads to another, so start eating well now and you’ll end up with a domino-effect of better health!
Get Enough Sleep
People who do not get enough sleep may be at a higher risk for heart disease. When you make sleep a priority (and we’re talking an average of 7-8 hours a night), you’re giving your body more time to heal itself and improve itself.
Take Care of Your Mental Health
Try breathing deeply for several minutes to reduce stress and optimize happiness. Negative mental health, including chronic anger, chronic stress, worry, anxiety, and depression, can lead to serious heart health problems. The opposite is also true: positive mental health can lead to better heart health.
Taking small steps to improve your heart health can lead to big positive changes in your overall health. Although it may seem overwhelming at first, changing one thing in your lifestyle at a time can make changing the next thing easier. Need some more advice or support? Schedule an appointment with VitalCare Family Practice to discuss the changes you need to make for a healthier lifestyle.
