Your Guide to a Healthy Heart
How important is your heart to you? Does it pump the very blood that keeps you alive? As one of your most vital organs, it’s essential to take good care of it and protect it from harm. Fortunately, there are plenty of things that you can do to maintain and keep it healthy throughout your life. Keep reading to learn more about how to take care of your heart!
How Does Stress Affect Our Health
Stress is one factor that we have little control over. It can be triggered by any number of different factors, such as work deadlines, family issues, or financial problems. But when stress becomes chronic and our bodies are constantly in fight or flight mode, it can have serious consequences for our health.
Stress can affect us in many ways. Our immune system gets weakened which puts us at risk for infection. Our heart beats faster and more erratically which can lead to high blood pressure or heart disease.
How Can I Deal With Stress?
Knowing how to deal with stress can help you lead a healthier, happier life. The first step is identifying which type of stress you’re feeling. There are two types of stress: psychological and physiological. Psychological stress is when your mind tells you that something is wrong and needs to be fixed as soon as possible. Physiological stress is when your body reacts physically to an event or situation (ie, a high fever). Once you know what type of stress it is, there are some good ways to cope with it.
What’s A Heart-Healthy Diet?
A heart-healthy diet is one that’s low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and trans fats. It also has plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein such as chicken and beans, fish twice a week (or less), and alcohol in moderation. And don’t forget your daily dose of exercise. Research shows that physical activity can help prevent high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, obesity, diabetes—all risk factors for heart disease. Exercise is medicine, says Dr. John Ratey at Harvard Medical School.
What Kinds Of Exercise Are Best?
What kind of exercise is best for your heart? The answer is not as simple as lifting weights or running. It depends on what type of heart disease you have and on how healthy your heart is in general. A cardiologist can tell you which activities are best suited for your condition, but there are some general guidelines that apply to everyone.
To find out if you’re at risk for any form of cardiovascular disease, talk with your doctor about getting an EKG (a test that measures electrical activity) and a cholesterol screening. If you’re at risk for high blood pressure or diabetes, ask about having these conditions monitored closely.
How Do I Manage My Weight?
Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most important things you can do for your heart. A study found that being overweight or obese as an adult increases your risk for heart disease by at least 30%. To get to and maintain your goal weight, try these tips:
* Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
* Keep track of what you eat. Write it down or use an app like MyFitnessPal to count calories and make sure you’re not overeating.
* Exercise for at least 150 minutes per week. This includes things like walking, biking, gardening, dancing—anything active that gets you moving!
What Can I Do If I Have Depression Or Anxiety?
If you are experiencing depression or anxiety, there are many things you can do.
-Practice mindfulness. -Talk to your doctor about medication or therapy. -Exercise regularly and eat healthy food. -Spend time with friends and family that love you, who can help remind you that life is worth living and you’re not alone in your feelings.
What About Sleep?
Studies have shown that if you don’t get enough sleep, it can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes. So be sure to get plenty of sleep every night. A good rule of thumb is to take two hours off your usual bedtime for every hour you’ve been awake. So if you’re up until 2 am, then set your alarm for 6 am the next morning. It might feel like torture at first, but with practice, you’ll quickly get used to waking up early.
If it’s too hard to adjust your sleep schedule right away, try going to bed earlier for a few days so that you’re getting more sleep during those days. It’s easier to adjust the time when we go from sleeping too much to sleeping less than we need or vice versa because our bodies are already accustomed to one state or another.
It may sound daunting but there are many ways out there on how people have successfully adjusted their schedules over time. They usually involve making changes in diet or lifestyle habits (such as taking walks during lunch) in order to reduce stress and get more restful sleep on an ongoing basis.
How Do Supplements Fit In?
L-arginine is an amino acid that helps produce nitric oxide in your body. Nitric oxide allows blood vessels to open and relax, which increases blood flow. L-arginine is also used for enhancing sexual function in men, and treating erectile dysfunction. It may help improve symptoms of congestive heart failure, angina pectoris (chest pain due to decreased oxygen), and high cholesterol.