Keeping Your Heart Healthy
A healthy heart is essential to your overall health. It is necessary for numerous bodily functions, and keeping it healthy is one of the best ways to ensure a high-quality life as you age.
February is American Heart Month. It’s the perfect time to learn about the role of your heart and why it’s essential to keep it healthy. It’s also the best time to rethink your heart health and incorporate heart-healthy changes into your lifestyle.
Understanding Your Heart’s Role
Your heart is an organ in your chest that pumps blood throughout your body. The heart is the center of the circulatory system of arteries, veins, and capillaries, all of which help transport blood. The rest of your organs depend on the oxygen and nutrients in the blood to work. If your heart is not healthy, it can lead to challenges and failures in the rest of your organs.
Your heart has a rate and rhythm that make up your heartbeat. If that heartbeat slows or weakens, it can affect how blood pumps. It can also affect your blood pressure. Having too high a blood pressure is a significant risk factor for many chronic health conditions.
Tips For A Healthy Heart
Much of your physical health can lead back to the overall health of your heart, which is why it’s essential to do what you can to keep it strong.
Stay Active
Regular physical activity strengthens the heart muscles, making it capable of pumping blood and getting oxygen and nutrients to other parts of the body. To build the heart muscle, focus on moderate to vigorous activities that increase your heart rate. That doesn’t mean you have to go out and do an extreme workout, but find ways to get your heart rate up for at least 20 to 30 minutes. That may mean walking quickly, swimming, or riding a bike. Other great options are cardio boxing, vinyasa yoga, or pilates.
Eat A Heart-Healthy Diet
What you put into your body has a direct effect on its health. When eating a heart-healthy diet, you want to focus on a well-rounded diet that contains whole, non-processed foods. That means incorporating many fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains.
A heart-healthy diet also means limiting saturated and trans fats, which may increase the risk of heart disease. These fats are primarily found in highly processed foods like frozen dinners and commercial baked goods. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy treats sometimes, but they shouldn’t be the foundation of your diet.
Don’t Smoke
Smoking increases your risk of many severe heart conditions, including heart disease. Cigarettes contain tons of harmful chemicals. Every time you take a hit, you inhale the chemicals that damage your heart and blood vessels. Smoking can also cause plaque buildup in the arteries, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, all of which contribute to heart disease.
Manage Your Stress
Everyone experiences stress. It’s your body’s natural reaction to change, and in small doses, stress is harmless. However, some people experience high levels of stress or chronic stress. This state of constant stress can lead to high blood pressure and put you at risk for heart disease. If you experience high stress levels, find healthy ways to manage it, like meditation, exercise, or talk therapy.
How Visiting Angels Can Help
Whether you want assistance keeping your heart healthy or need someone to care for you after a heart disease diagnosis, Visiting Angels is available to help.
Our caregivers enjoy working with clients to improve their physical health and well-being. Caregivers will gladly join you on walks around the neighborhood, help prepare heart-healthy meals, or help you find a nearby fitness class to try. They’re also there to assist during tough times, such as helping you out of bed, helping you in the bathroom, or providing transportation to a doctor’s appointment.
Visiting Angels of Daphne works with clients throughout Baldwin County and the greater Mobile communities. Contact us to learn more about our at-home services or to schedule a complimentary consultation.