Do you want to improve your heart health? Are you planning to change your ways so you can live your life healthily and with a lower risk of developing chronic heart diseases? Then note that making even just minor changes in your lifestyle can already work wonders for your heart health.
Here are some things that you can do to protect your heart from becoming chronically ill:
Move regularly
Remember that your heart is classified as a muscle. Just like other muscles, you can strengthen it through exercise and other forms of physical activities and movements. The first thing you have to do, though, is to figure out your target heart rate. After that, you can look for an exercise or activity you love and enjoy. It should be an activity that you can adhere to for a long time.
If possible, focus on getting at least 150 minutes of aerobic activities of moderate intensity every week. You should also do some activities that strengthen your muscles two days or more per week. This should be enough to integrate movements into your day and avoid prolonged sitting that is bad for your heart.
Eat foods that are good for the heart
You also have to look into your diet. Start removing unhealthy foods from your diet and replace them with heart-friendly ones. Some examples would be guacamole and salmon as both are high in healthy fats that can benefit the heart.
Other healthy food choices that can also benefit your heart are fruits, whole grains, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and lean meats. Start letting go of foods with high salt, sugar, and saturated fat content.
Avoid overeating, too. Note that overeating can lead to irregular and faster heart rhythms that can trigger heart failure or attack, so be extra careful and eat in moderation.
Get enough sleep
It is also important to note that poor and insufficient sleep can make you more prone to developing heart diseases. It can also contribute to several conditions that may lead to the development of heart ailment, like diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. With that said, make it a point to prioritize your sleep.
Aim to enjoy seven to eight hours of sleep every night. In case you are suffering from sleep apnea, have yourself checked and treated by a medical professional. The reason is that this condition also has a strong connection to arrhythmia and other heart diseases.
Eat dark chocolate
Make sure to do this tip in moderation, though. Aside from tasting delicious, dark chocolate is also rich in flavonoids known as heart-friendly compounds capable of lowering your inflammation and your risk of developing heart disease.
Choose dark chocolates, instead of milk chocolates that are excessively sweet. Eat it moderately, too. Whenever you are tempted by sweets, you can eat one to two squares of your favorite dark chocolate without guilt.
Increase your intake of nuts
Walnuts, pecans, almonds, and other nuts can supply your body with heart-friendly protein, fiber, and fats. With that in mind, it is safe to make them a part of your diet if your goal is to lower your chance of suffering from cardiovascular diseases. Just ensure that you stick to eating small serving sizes of nuts as they also have high-calorie content.
Spend some time walking
Whenever you feel angry, exasperated, or overwhelmed, it helps to spend a few minutes walking. Note that even a short walk, around five minutes only, can already help in clearing your head. It can also keep your stress level low. Both of these benefits are good for your heart.
Conclusion
It would even be better for you to spend half an hour walking every day. The reason is that the activity can improve not only your heart health but also your mental and physical health.
