Love Your Heart During American Heart Month!
By Donna Stark
It's tradition for the month of February to be filled with hearts. Small hearts, big hearts, red hearts, and pink hearts. Hearts for the young, the old, and the in-between. And although most people attribute the appearance of these hearts to the popular romantic holiday, there is another reason for them to show up ... American Heart Month! So yes, go ahead and shower the one you love with all the affection you can give for this month's holiday, but don't forget to sprinkle a little extra love on your own heart, too! Take a look at the following tips.
Know Your Numbers
Your heart depends on a lot of numbers working in your favor, and by numbers, I mean your blood pressure, your cholesterol level, and your weight. If you aren't sure what range those numbers should be in, ask your primary physician.
Get Moving
In addition to improving your mental and physical health, exercise (or really, any type of physical activity that gets the heart pumping) can also help reduce cardiovascular disease, so get moving! Try to incorporate at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise into your daily routine. And if you have trouble reaching those 30 minutes, don't worry! You can break it up into smaller, more manageable time periods.
Increase Your Strength
Adding some strength training exercises to your fitness routine can help improve your heart health as well! Building more muscle can help eliminate the excess pounds on your body and improve your blood flow. All you need is one extra hour per week to reap all of the benefits.
Add Color to Your Plate
Eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables may help reduce the risk of heart complications, so get creative and add some color to your plate! Choose from deep, dark greens to bright reds and blues. You can also add in some extra color by eating salmon a couple of times a week as well!
Skip the Junk
You certainly don't want to sabotage the results you get from eating healthy meals, so skip the processed junk food! Added sugars, saturated fats, and excessive sodium can raise blood pressure and clog arteries, which are all contributing factors for heart disease.
Decrease Your Stress
It's easier said than done, but if you can get control of the levels of stress in your life, you can reduce your risk of serious heart conditions. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to do so, but if you need help with ideas, you can always ask your primary physician.
Happy Heart
Just remember, a happy heart is a healthy heart, and if your heart is happy, most other things in your life will be too! So show your heart some love today and enjoy the rest of American Heart Month with those you love!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Parma, Ohio.