In 2013, make a resolution to care for your heart. Check out these ideas for keeping your ticker happy and healthy.
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Your heart keeps your body working, but how often do you take time to think about how to improve its health? After all, its well-being often determines our longevity. This new year, give your heart some love with these 5 tips.
- No smoking, please. Tobacco products hurt more than your lungs. Smoking deposits fatty substances in your arteries and can lead to heart attack, stroke or coronary heart disease.
- Eat right. Banish foods that contain trans- and saturated fat and increase veggies and fruits to improve your cholesterol and blood pressure levels. An array of heart healthy cookbooks await you at your local library.
- Exercise regularly. At least 5 days per week for 30 minutes per session, get moving. Even 15 minutes makes a difference – but don't use that excuse to skimp! Most importantly, reduce and keep off excess weight to lower blood pressure.
- Stress less. According to the American Heart Association, elevated adrenaline levels, caused by stress, speed up your heart rate and raise blood pressure. When this happens frequently, the body suffers. Give yourself a break! Daily relaxation is not a guilty pleasure, but rather a necessity for heart healthy living. Join a yoga or tai chi class, try meditation or sign up for a massage.
- Get screened today! It's important to keep track of your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Take advantage of the diagnostic tools available today. If you're over 30 years old, consider screening for diabetes, too, because it's linked with heart disease.
Make 2013 your heart's best year yet. Central Florida Regional Hospital's award-winning Heart Institute provides everything your heart could need, from diagnosis to rehabilitation. Learn more from our Calcium Scoring Brochure. Call our free Consult-A-Nurse® hotline at 1-800-445-3392 if you have any questions or would like a physician referral.
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