Health Inspired Dentistry Blog

Take Control of Your Heart to Take Care of Your Heart Tuesday, 10 February 2015

You must admit the month of February is very dull with weeks of cold, snow and blowing winds….Boring! Take heart, exactly. With Valentine’s Day approaching, what do you think of…romance, chocolate, love poems and red roses. All of these are lovely to think about but what about your heart? Are you taking care of it?

This may not be on your to-do list but caring for your heart through a healthy diet and regular physical activity is the secret weapon to preventing heart disease. Some assume that taking a few pills that were prescribed is enough to prevent a heart attack when the real preventative power lies with a real change to your lifestyle.

Heart disease is the biggest killer of American women and men, but it is also preventable in many cases. Here are a few tips for reducing your risks of cardiovascular trouble:

  • As mentioned above watch your diet, research has shown that a diet high in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts, can help decrease the incidence of heart disease. Paying attention to what you are eating is one of the major cornerstones of keeping your heart healthy.
  • The AMA recommends 2.5 hours a week of exercise to help lower the risks of the disease.
  • Know your numbers. Schedule a yearly checkup to have your blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels checked.
  • Manage your stress. We all have stress in our lives and managing it is a large part of being heart-healthy.
  • Learn the art of well-being, optimism and laughter which can boost the immune system, decrease stress and lower blood pressure.

Take control of your health to take care of your heart.

Now I leave you with this short poem;

Love you yesterday, Love you still, Always have, Always will.

Barbara Bushrod – Massage Therapist