How to Improve Your Cardiovascular Health!

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Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death for both men and women, and about 610,000 people die of heart disease each year, according to the CDC.  

Some of the biggest risk factors for CVD include:

  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Smoking
  • Diabetes
  • Poor diet
  • Obesity
  • Physical inactivity

Many of these risk factors relate to daily life habits that can be changed with time and self-motivation. I hope to help people lower their risks so I have made a list of some simple lifestyle changes you can apply to your life each day in order to decrease your risk of CVD and increase your cardiovascular health.

  1. Take a 10 minute walk every day! Or if you already walk, increase it by 10 min.
  2. Start lifting! Now I am not saying you have to lift a 100 lbs., even just large books you have in the house, gets your heart rate going and helps build body muscle as well as cardiovascular strength.
  3. Eat a nutritious breakfast! Fruit and whole grains are great to incorporate into your breakfast. They are heart healthy, fill you up and keep you feeling full through the morning.
  4. Drink water! Avoid the sugar sweetened beverages.
  5. Eat a balanced diet! Have an extra serving of fruit or vegetables each day and when you get hungry grab a hand full of nuts. All these foods are heart healthy and nutritious!
  6. Swap the red meat for some fish! If you are a meat eater try swapping one meal a week for fish or other seafood. The omega 3’s in seafood are great for your heart and brain.
  7. Meditate! Meditating or just taking a few minutes to breathe deeply each day can help keep your blood pressure levels normal.
  8. Wash up! Washing your hands regularly prevents the spreading of germs and illness that can be hard on your heart like the flu, and pneumonia.
  9. Be happy! Take some time every day to appreciate the gifts and blessings you have. Positivity is contagious and can spread not only to other people but within your body. The happier you are the less stress your mind and body will be.

Hope these have helped and you start applying them into your daily routine. It can be a lot to take in so apply them one or two at a time and go from there.

Happy Monday!

 

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