We are often at risk of suffering from various heart problems as we age. Studies have shown that heart attacks, stroke, and other heart diseases are one of the leading causes of death in both men and women in America. This is a serious issue but one that can be reduced significantly if we only find ways to keep our heart beating healthily. Do you want to know how to make sure that your heart is always in the best of health? Try the following steps out.
- Take stock of what you have in your kitchen. If you want to have a strong and healthy heart, taking stock of what food you have in your kitchen is important. Getting rid of foods that are not really good for your health such as junk food, sodas, candies, and the like can help remove temptation from your path. Replace them instead with fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts especially when you need something to snack on.
- Give up smoking. Smoking not only damages your lungs and speed up premature aging, it has also been found to affect your heart health too. As a matter of fact, a certain percentage of smokers have died because of heart attack instead of lung problems. The chemicals that are found in cigarettes are actually causing changes in your heart health which is why you need to either quit smoking right now or don’t start at all.
- Consider what to eat and when. When it comes to heart health, choosing the right foods and timing your consumption correctly can have a significant impact to your heart’s overall health. Most doctors recommend that you start your day with a healthy breakfast such as omelet with chopped vegetables. This dish is packed with protein as well as fiber that can provide you with the energy you need not to mention, protect your heart at the same time.
- Exercise. Another thing that you can do to keep your heart in the best condition is to start exercising. Even 2 hours and half per week is a good start already. Even if you’re just starting your day with a 10-minute workout then squeeze in several 10-minute workouts throughout the day, you are actually helping your heart function better.
- Plan ahead. It pays to plan ahead when it comes to what you are going to eat so that you will be able to purchase the right kinds of food for your fridge. If you’re working in an office, you can pack your lunch earlier so that you won’t be tempted to buy something from cafes or fast foods on your way to your work. Plus, this allows you more control on what you are going to eat.
As you can see, keeping your heart in its best condition is possible with the help of the steps mentioned above. With the right diet, proper exercise, and other healthy practices such as minimizing consumption of sweets and salty foods, you will be able to prevent heart problems from occurring.
