World Heart Day
By Joanie in Health Tips, Lifestyle Tips on 28 September 2020
Heart Health – Important tips to have a Healthy Heart.
The most important thing you can do to look after your heart is to have a healthy lifestyle. Making just small changes in your habits can make a huge difference to the health of your heart.
Here are 6 Healthy Heart Tips:
1.) Exercise – Physical Activity is great for heart health. Aim for a minimum of at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity for 5 or more days a week. If exercise isn’t your thing, just keep it simple, try walking for 30minutes a day or find an activity that you really enjoy that gets you up and moving.
2.) Eat Healthy & Maintain a Healthy Weight – Maintaining a healthy weight is key in controlling your blood pressure and lowering your risk for heart disease. A diet low in saturated fats and rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains can lower your risk of heart disease by 73 percent. Make sure to eat a balanced diet with a wide range of nutritious foods to ensure that you are getting all the vitamins and minerals that you need.
3.) Get enough Sleep –A good nights sleep is just as important as regular exercise and a healthy diet. Poor sleep has immediate negative effects on your body. Aim for 8 to 9 hours of sleep per night.
4.) Don’t smoke – Smoking increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases which include heart disease and stroke. Smoking is one of the top controllable risk factors for heart disease.
5.) Manage Stress – Stress raises the blood pressure which has an immediate effect on your heart. Try to manage your stress levels by using some relaxation techniques such as meditating, yoga, or gentle breathing exercises.
6.) Keep your blood pressure in check – High blood pressure is the number one risk factor for stroke and a major factor for around half of all heart disease and strokes. Therefore, it is very important to get your blood pressure checked regularly by your GP and if its persistently high, it needs to be controlled.
A Healthy Heart is a Healthy you!