Your heart is the hardest working muscle in your body. It is always working to pump oxygen enriched blood to the rest of the body. Knowing this, it shouldn’t be hard to realize that we should be looking out for our heart’s wellbeing in order to improve our own. Unfortunately heart disease is currently the number one killer of Americans annually. The best way to prevent this is to look into some activities and lifestyle changes we can do to help our heart last as long as possible.
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Choose healthy meals and snack options. Changing your diet to a diet low in salt, trans fat, and cholesterol will lower the amount of cholesterol in your blood and lower your blood pressure. When you want a snack, look for foods that are high in fiber like fruits and vegetables.
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Maintain a healthy weight and exercise regularly. Being overweight can significantly increase your chance of heart disease. In order to maintain a healthy weight, make it a habit to exercise regularly. Physical activity lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, not to mention it’s a great way to relieve stress on your heart and on your mind. It is recommended that you should exercise for about 30 minutes every other day of the week.
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Take time to adequately rest. Being up and about most of the day is part of the American lifestyle, but taking time to get an appropriate amount of rest will give your heart a chance to slow down and relax.
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Limit alcohol consumption. Your liver is not the only organ that suffers when you consume large amounts of alcohol. Too much alcohol can increase blood pressure which stresses the heart.
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Cut cigarettes out of your lifestyle. Smoking hurts your heart as much as it hurts your lungs. Don’t start smoking, and if you already have, make plans to quit smoking immediately.
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Monitor your cholesterol and blood pressure. Each of these subjects have been mentioned on the list before now because they both have a large impact on your heart’s overall well-being. Keep an eye on these and work to keep your levels healthy.
A healthy heart requires a healthy lifestyle. To find out more information about your heart and how you can keep it healthy and updates on cardiac monitoring, visit our website or contact ReactDx, Inc today.