This month we’re celebrating healthy hearts and bringing awareness to heart disease and related conditions such as high blood pressure and cholesterol. Our hearts are the battery that keeps us going, and without the heart pumping blood and oxygen through our systems, we would cease to exist.
Unfortunately, heart disease is the number one cause of natural death in the United States. According to the American Heart Association, nearly half of all adults in the U.S. have some type of cardiovascular disease.
The good news is that heart disease can be reduced or even prevented by following some of the tips below.
· Maintain a healthy weight.
· Exercise regularly. Ideally, you should be getting roughly 150 minutes per week of moderate to moderately-intense exercise per week. Dancing, running, cycling, and aerobic workouts can help you get enough of those exercise minutes.
· Eat a healthy diet full of good fats, as well as nutrient-dense and antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.
· Take all medications prescribed for heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol management as directed by your doctor.
· Manage stress levels. Stress kills, literally. Stress puts additional strain on the heart which can contribute to new or worsening heart disease.
· Get enough sleep. Most adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night for best results. Not getting enough sleep increases the risk of a variety of conditions such as high cortisol (stress) hormones, poor immune system function, and obesity, and can increase your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.
· Keep up with your annual and physical doctor’s appointments.
To learn more ways to keep your heart healthy this month (and every month!) click here!
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