Category Archives: Uncategorized

Seven keys to a healthy heart

Posted on by
Reply

Heart health is an often overlooked but extremely important factor to overall health. Don’t ignore your heart, get your annual physical and blood tests and take charge of your healthcare, including your heart health. Here are six keys to a healthy heart:

  1. Quit smoking! If you are one of the dinosaurs that still smokes, quit today! Yes, it is easier said than done but millions of people have done it so why can’t you? Smoking is possibly the leading cause of heart problems so nip it in the bud today – you can do it!
  2. Alcohol. Don’t drink heavily and don’t binge drink. Most people reading this are not likely to be binge drinkers but some may be. It is OKAY to drink moderately, in fact, there are many studies that suggest moderate alcohol consumption is good for you so go ahead and have a drink or two daily. Red wines and dark liquors generally have the most health benefits.
  3. Exercise regularly. I know, this sounds obvious and it is but it is also often ignored. As a man, I know first-hand how taking care of yourself physically is often the lowest priority when juggling family, work and kids. Don’t allow your exercise time to be the lowest priority or you will run out of day without having exercised – make it a high priority and stick to it. A good routine is to alternate between cardio and strength training five days each week. Its okay to take a couple of days off, just make sure you exercise more days than you don’t.
  4. Cholesterol. Watch it, monitor it, get it checked. If its high, fix it! High cholesterol forces your heart to work harder and that’s not a good thing. Oatmeal for breakfast is a good starting point, prescription meds might be necessary but avoid them as always if you can. Look for alternative ways such as your diet to lower your cholesterol and keep it low.
  5. Diet. Eat well. Try to skip foods that are prepackaged in a box or wrapper and drive past the fast food. Eat vegetables, eat meats – beef, pork, turkey, fish, chicken. Contrary to what some say, red meat provides your body with many needed nutrients so leave it on your plate, just not every day. For veggies, eat leafy greens like brocolli (which might be in the top five perfect foods) and spinach. Include fresh fruits without the sugar and skip fried foods all together. That means no french fries.
  6. Watch your weight. All of the above play a role in your weight. Don’t let yourself get too heavy. It’s easy to do as the years roll past, I know. It happened to me but one day I looked in the mirror and decided that I wasn’t going to accept that I was 20 pounds heavier at age 40 than I was at age 30. Do something about it – you’ll feel better about yourself all around. Your spouse will find you more attractive, you’ll have more confidence, more energy, and your heart will thank you.
  7. Stress is bad. Newsflash, I know. How do we minimize stress? Make personal time for yourself. Take a 20 minute walk each day, take a 15 minute nap after lunch (if you can), make time to do some things you enjoy, take time to reflect, think ahead and plan. Don’t fret about the little things, it’s difficult, I know but they really don’t matter as much as you think. Look back on some of the things you worried about in your younger years and ask if they were as important as you thought. I get a kick out of college aged kids who are stressed because of how busy they are. Little do they know what ‘busy’ really means. For me, personal reflection works best so I take the dog for a walk, usually at night when its dark and quite outside. A good night of sleep plays a large role as well so get your rest.

Follow these guidelines and adjust your lifestyle to what is healthy AND sustainable. Don’t try to do a 180 degree change with your diet or go from zero hours in the gym to 20 per week. Make small changes to your lifestyle and build upon what you’re doing right. Over time, you will improve not only your heart health but your overall health and happiness.