Although there will be phases in life when you might not be the healthiest person in the world, it is important to look after yourself. Not only can this help to increase your chances of living a longer life, but it can also help to boost your mood as well. There are many things to think about when it comes to looking after your health, such as oral hygiene, muscular strength, and healthy bones, to name a few, but one of the most essential things you need to look after is your heart. If you’re worried about your heart health, here are a few great tips to help you turn that around.
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Cardiovascular Exercise
As mentioned above, keeping your muscles toned and strong is important, but you need to be making time for cardio exercises as well if you want to keep your heart healthy. There are many exercises you can choose from that will get your heart beating, including running, swimming, walking/hiking, cycling, and dancing, as just a few examples.
If you find exercise more fun when you’re using it as a social tool as well, team sports where you’re active and moving around a lot will also be good choices. It is recommended that you do at least 30-minutes of cardio exercise three to four times a week, so it should be easy to fit these workouts into your routine.
Watch What You Eat
This is a typical well-being tip that will help you to maintain a healthy weight as well as other bodily functions. However, there are certain things you can eat that are going to be more beneficial for your heart than others. Whole grains are great for heart health; fish such as salmon and tuna that are high in Omega-3 will also make a difference. Berries are good for your heart, too, as are beans and lentils, peppers, tomatoes, carrots, and sweet potatoes.
Spinach and other leafy greens should be making an appearance on your plate as well. Foods to avoid are those that are high in saturated fats and salt. Things like bacon, excessive red meat or fatty cuts of meat, sugary drinks, deep-fried foods, etc. These will increase your cholesterol levels which can lead to heart disease. If you want to monitor your cholesterol, you can use an at-home cholesterol test.
Avoid Smoking and Excessive Alcohol Consumption
If you are a smoker, no doubt you have already been told by healthcare professionals that you should think about quitting. While a common habit for many people, it poses many serious health risks, including heart disease. If you want to start looking after your heart better, giving up this habit is a good place to start. You should also be careful about consuming excessive amounts of alcohol as this can contribute to heart issues as well as kidney and liver damage.
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Manage Your Stress Better
Stress is an inevitable part of life, and sometimes it can’t be avoided. However, if you are under a lot of stress, this can be detrimental both to your mental and physical health and put a strain on your heart. If you have a lot of pressures in life and struggle to manage your stress effectively, look at mindfulness techniques or speak to your doctor about other ways that could help you reduce your stress levels.
If you are worried about how healthy your heart is, use the tips above to help you move into better habits that can benefit your heart and your overall well-being.
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