Heart disease is the number 1 cause of death worldwide, and it is mostly preventable by changing your lifestyle and managing risk factors.
Some people manage to make changes to their exercise pattern, diet, and unhealthy habits easily. Some try to make changes, but don’t always succeed. But, instead of taking on a huge makeover, try a series of small changes. Once you get going, you might find that change isn’t so hard. In honor of American Heart Month, here are 8 small steps you can take daily to improve your heart health.
- Take a 10 minute walk. If you aren’t an avid exerciser, a brief walk is a great way to get started, and a good way to add more exercise to your day.
- Get moving. Your heart is a muscle and, like any muscle, exercise strengthens it! The first step is to determine your target heart rate, then find an activity you enjoy and can commit to doing.
- Make breakfast count. Start the day with some fruit and a serving of whole grains, like oatmeal or whole-wheat toast.
- Eat heart healthy foods. Salmon and guacamole are loaded with healthy fats that are good for the heart.
- Lower stress levels. A rise in blood pressure is one of many biochemical responses to stress, including faster heart rate. If you don’t manage your stress, it can end up creating more stress and trap you in a stress cycle. Keeping your mind healthy = keeping your heart healthy!
- Stop drinking your calories. Cutting out sugar, even just one sugar-sweetened soda or calorie-heavy latte, can easily save you 100 or more calories a day. Over a year, that can translate into a 10-pound weight loss.
- Wash your hands often. We’ve seen this come into play more during the Covid-19 pandemic; washing your hands is crucial to staying healthy. Scrubbing up with soap and water often during the day is a great way to protect your heart and health. The flu, pneumonia, and other infections can be very hard on the heart.
- Count your blessings. Taking a moment each day to acknowledge the blessings in your life is one way to start tapping into other positive emotions. These emotions have been linked with better health, longer life, and greater well-being, just as the opposites — anger, worry, and hostility- contribute to high blood pressure and heart disease.