Your heart works hard for you nonstop for your whole life. So show it some TLC this month during HEART MONTH.
Making small changes in your habits can make a real difference to your ticker.
Even if you improve just one or two of these areas, you can make yourself less likely to get heart disease. Of course, the more tips on this list you follow, the better you will feel.
The next time you're tempted to stay up later than you should, remember how comfy that pillow will feel and how good a full night's sleep is for your heart.
In one study, young and middle-age adults who slept 7 hours a night had less calcium in their arteries (an early sign of heart disease) than those who slept 5 hours or less or those who slept 9 hours or more.
The type of shut-eye they got was important, too. Adults who said they got good-quality sleep also had healthier arteries than those who didn't sleep soundly.
If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at night, or if you don't feel refreshed after a full night in bed, talk to your doctor about what changes you can make to help.
That cuff squeezing your arm at every doctor's visit is important. It measures the amount of pressure flowing through your arteries with every heartbeat.
If your blood pressure gets too high, the extra force can damage artery walls and create scar tissue. That makes it harder for blood and oxygen to get to and from your heart. The heart has to pump harder and gets worn out faster.
**Etter Health Center will be providing Blood Pressure Screenings during the month of February so please keep an eye out for these!
Some easy ways to lower your blood pressure: Cut back on salt, limit alcohol to no more than one to two drinks a day, favor healthy eating habits (think fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein) manage your stress, and work out. These changes are often enough to bring your blood pressure back down into the normal range. If not, your doctor might recommend you also take medication.
To help your heart’s arteries, cut down on saturated fats, which are mainly found in meat and full-fat dairy products. Choose leaner cuts and reduced-fat options.
Also, totally quit trans fats, which are found in some processed foods. They drive up your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol level. Check ingredient lists for anything that says “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” -- those are trans fats.
To keep it simple, you can aim for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week of moderate exercise. That includes any activity that gets you moving around and breaking a slight sweat.
If you’re doing nothing, do something…. And if you’re doing something, do more.
Also, pay attention to how much time you spend seated, whether it's at work, in your car, or on your couch at home. You want decrease the amount of time you spend on sitting.
Break up long periods of sitting, and stand or walk while doing things like talking on the phone or watching TV.
Your heart works best when it runs on clean fuel. That means lots of whole, plant-based foods (like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds) and fewer refined or processed foods (like white bread, pasta, crackers, and cookies).
One of the fastest ways to clean up your diet is to cut out sugary beverages like soda and fruit juice, which lacks the fiber that’s in actual fruit.
College students drink a lot of their calories… and many of those drinks provide little, if any nutritional value.
Smoking and secondhand smoke are bad for your heart.
E-cigarettes are popular with college students, but they’re not completely problem-free. While they can help some people wean themselves off of smoking, they still do contain nicotine, so your goal should be to quit completely, not just switch to a less toxic version of nicotine.
Managing stress in a healthy way, whether it's meditation, yoga, or exercise, is essential (remember it helps lower that blood pressure!)
Make it a point to spend time with people you’re close to. Talk, laugh, confide, and enjoy each other. It’s good for your emotional health as well as your heart.
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