In 2017, heart disease accounted for one out of every three deaths and is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the US. It’s clear, most people are not taking care of their heart. Here is how to keep your heart healthy!
Certain risk factors for heart disease like family history and age can’t be changed. However, there are lifestyle choices you can make to keep your heart healthy and help you overcome some of the risk factors more difficult to deal with.
10 Ways to Keep Your Heart Healthy
1. Be physically active
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends moderate physical activity for at least 150 total minutes per week spread out over the week–so an average of 30 minutes x 5 days. You should also avoid sitting for long periods of time.
2. Manage stress
Stress causes strain on the heart, which creates a higher risk for heart disease. One study found that meditation can significantly reduce stress. If you have sustained high stress or problems managing your stress, seek professional mental and medical advice to help reduce your stress level.
3. Eat a heart-healthy diet
Your diet plays a big role in whether or not you maintain a heart-healthy weight. What you eat can also contribute to high cholesterol. About one in every six American adults has high cholesterol, which increases the risk for heart disease. You can find heart-healthy eating tips on the AHA’s website (1)
4. Maintain a healthy weight
In 2017, an estimated 37% of US adults were obese. People who are obese often have other health conditions like diabetes and high cholesterol that affect the health of the heart. Every pound you lose keeps you on the road to a healthier heart.
5. Control diabetes
Approximately 23.4 million American adults have diabetes. Those with diabetes are often overweight/obese, have high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol, thereby increasing their risk for heart disease. If you do have diabetes and suffer with any of these aforementioned conditions, meet with a medical professional to come up with a plan to lose weight, and/or lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
6. Manage hypertension (high blood pressure)
About one in three adults in the US has high blood pressure. Left untreated, high blood pressure can cause damage to arteries and consequently the heart. Talk with your doctor to create a plan to lower your blood pressure.
7. Stop smoking cigarettes/avoid second-hand smoke
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), smoking raises your risk of developing heart disease by two to four times. Plaque buildup from smoking hardens arteries which strains the heart. Also avoid being around second-hand smoke, as this can also indirectly cause heart damage.
8. See your doctor for annual checkup
Make sure that you are getting an annual checkup to keep an eye on your blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels as well as overall health. If you do discover some serious heart issues, your doctor will most likely refer you to a cardiologist.
9. Get enough sleep
Have a general goal to get at least 7 hours of sleep per night. Both quantity and quality of sleep matter. If you are having regular interrupted sleep, you may have sleep apnea which can be detrimental to your heart.
10. Dietary supplements
There are nutritional supplements on the market that can help your heart be healthier. One of these is HeartBeet Complete™.
HeartBeet Complete™ delivers more beetroot juice to your body each day so you can take full advantage of all the benefits beets have to offer when it comes to the health of your heart.
What’s more is that HeartBeet Complete™ is actually a comprehensive heart health formula combining concentrated beetroot powder, CoQ10, Turmeric, L-arginine and L-citrulline along with a combination of vitamins and minerals that dramatically support improved blood flow, healthy blood pressure and the overall health of the heart.