With a new year started and it being American Heart Month, is there really a better time to begin working towards the goal of becoming more heart healthy? We don’t think so! If this has been a goal of yours, we’ve got a few tips and tricks to share in order to help you get on the right track during American Heart Month.
How to Take Care of Your Heart
Evaluate Your Eating:
If you’re consuming high amounts of sugar and saturated fats, you may need to stop and reevaluate your diet. Start by creating a food diary. Track what you eat for one week, and then make refinements from there. Are you indulging in dessert every evening? Do you stop for a carbonated beverage each day before heading into work? Notice vegetables are missing from your diet? Now is a great time to change up your eating habits once you have identified what needs to be taken out and what may need to be added. It may not be easy, but it’ll be worth it.
Get Active:
Start with 30 minutes a day. It’s really as simple as taking a walk around your neighborhood or cleaning your home, like vacuuming and dusting. Each week, tack on a few more minutes to your workout routine to help build stamina and get your blood pumping. After a few weeks of consistent movement and working out, you’ll start to notice the effects of being active and heart healthy.
Go to Sleep:
Now here’s a tip we can all get behind! Depriving yourself of the recommended six to eight hours of sleep a night can take its toll on your heart. If your body does not receive the proper amount of sleep it needs, your metabolism can slow down, which then effects how you lose weight. If you’re looking to develop better sleep habits, consider doing the following:
- Cut out caffeine after a certain time of day.
- Establish a nightly routine.
- Start exercising.
Visit Your Doctor:
While you should be doing this on an annual basis, make an appointment with your doctor for a check-up to ensure great heart health. Your doctor can provide more treatment plans and medication if necessary to help you reach your heart health goals.
We hope you take these tips and apply them to your life. We know changing your lifestyle for the better can be a trying task but with the right support and determination, you can enjoy the new you in 2018! Source: The American Heart Association