It is February, National Heart Month. Here are some simple ideas for improving your cardiovascular health not only for this month, but also for the rest of your life. Every little bit helps, so don't fret if you aren't as successful as you'd like. Just give these tips a try, relax, and let the heart healing begin.
Cook at home. It doesn't take that much time if you plan well. A large pot of healthy vegetable and bean soup or chicken and vegetable stew can be divided into smaller portions and frozen for several meals. If you plan each cooking session to provide three meals, you'll only have to cook two or three times each week. Cooking at home allows you to pick healthy ingredients.
Keep a positive attitude. Excess worry, anger, and anxiety are all emotions that can damage the heart. Stress hormones are released that trigger physical responses that are great when facing a charging wild animal, but not so great if when these hormones are continually being released into the body. Take a realistic look at your life and try to maintain a balanced outlook. And laugh more!
Move your body. A quick walk up a flight of stairs or across the parking lot is much better than taking the elevator or parking right in front of the door. Getting your muscles working helps keep improve blood circulation and strengthens the heart.
Add heart healthy herbs to your cooking. Herbs aren't just for flavoring, many of them have a wide range of health benefits. One of the all time heart healthy favorites is garlic. Use it raw or buy it dried, just be sure to avoid garlic salt. Experimenting with herbs livens up your food and improves health.
Add yoga to your exercise routine. The slow movements are less stressful on joints and each move improves not only flexibility and strength but also promotes a healthy heart. Recent research shows that yoga improves circulation and lowers blood pressure.
Never, never eat trans fats. Partially hydrogenated oil is a man-made substance that more and more research shows is the worst fat, far worse than saturated fat for heart health. Cities have banned its use and some major retailers are cutting it from products in the stores. Don't rely on labeling on the front of the package, flip the package around and read the ingredients. Put it back on the shelf and by an alternative product if you see partially hydrogenated oil or margarine as an ingredient.
Add soluble fiber to your diet. This fiber is known to bind to cholesterol in the digestive tract and remove it from the body. Found in a wide variety of foods, apples and oats are great sources. Legumes are another, add them to soups and stews, or on salads for a heart healthy meal.
Follow these heart healthy tips and you will promote good health for the rest of your life.
Monique Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate for the use of safe and effective high quality, natural, alternative health products to treat and prevent heart disease. To learn about how to prevent and treat heart disease naturally, visit her blog for weekly tips at Heart Disease Diet
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