Creating a healthier version of yourself starts with making small changes to your everyday habits. And for many Americans, one of the hardest habits to change is eating. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Eating well doesn’t have to be complicated, and there are plenty of other things you can do to help stay healthy too. These heart-healthy habits you can start today have quickly become staples in my own diet.
Your heart is one of your most important organs, so it’s in your best interest to take care of it. And while we’re on the subject of organs, did you know that the heart is one of the five major organs in your entire body? The others are the liver, kidneys, lungs, and, of course, the brain. When it comes to taking care of your heart, we’ve broken this article into three categories, all of which are easy ways to help keep your heart healthy and happy.
Heart health is key to living a long and happy life. Having at least one risk factor for heart disease puts you at a greater risk of being hospitalized when the disease strikes, and if you have two or more risk factors, your likelihood of developing heart disease is even higher. To mitigate these risks, several important steps can be taken to lower the likelihood of heart disease. The first and foremost step is to schedule a comprehensive heart health screening with a cardiologist in Vernon, NJ (or in your local area) who can assess your risk of developing heart disease and provide advice on how to reduce it. Apart from this initial step, you may also need to implement important lifestyle changes to improve heart health. Some of these changes are mentioned below:
Get enough sleep
Getting proper rest (eight hours a day) is associated with lower cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. However, most people get too little sleep. In fact, about 30-40% of people are sleep-deprived. Lack of sleep has been linked with obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, depression, and premature death.
Getting enough sleep can have a positive, lasting impact on your health, both physically and mentally. Even if you’re not super tired during the day, getting less than eight hours of sleep each night will have a negative impact on your body and your heart. Scientific research has consistently shown that sleep deficiency is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Start exercising regularly
There are many ways to stay healthy, and exercising regularly is one of them. A healthy heart is the key to a long, happy life, so make an appointment with your doctor today to set exercise goals, or get yourself a personal trainer to help you work towards your fitness goals. Regular exercise will not only strengthen your heart but also help keep it healthy.
Deciding to exercise regularly can be challenging, especially if you have a busy schedule. It’s hard because you want to fit into a pair of jeans or look nice for your date. But it’s so important! It’s proven to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, with other heart health benefits as well. In fact, studies show that people who exercise regularly have lower rates of heart disease than those who don’t. And the sooner you start, the better!
Addressing heart health concerns
Shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, regular fatigue, and palpitations are symptoms that people experience every day, making it easy to brush them off as just another feeling of discomfort. However, these are the stepping stones to heart disease and can be life-threatening if ignored for too long.
When you begin to experience such symptoms frequently, you should consult a doctor who can give you some insight into what is going on with your cardiovascular system. If you do not already have a doctor who you can consult and get screened by, consider looking up “radiology near me in Vernon“, or wherever you reside. Prevention is, indeed, better than cure, so you should take the necessary steps to avoid suffering from cardiovascular problems.
Eat more veggies and fruits
You’ve probably heard by now that fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are heart-healthy. Those who follow a heart-healthy diet consume less saturated fat and cholesterol, more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fewer calories from fat. Switching to a heart-healthy diet may even help lower your risk of diabetes, cancer, and other chronic diseases.
Did you know eating more vegetables like broccoli, leafy greens, and carrots can help fight heart disease? Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States, and it is responsible for nearly twice as many deaths as the next leading disease, cancer. This alarming statistic motivated researchers to look into the effects of diet on heart health, and they found many heart-healthy benefits in eating more vegetables.
Your heart is one of the most important parts of your body, so you should take the necessary steps in order to look after it so that it will stay as healthy as possible for a long time. Once you have made these part of your routine, you should feel the benefits that eating well, exercising, and getting enough sleep can have on both your physical and mental health.