4 Great Tips for Overall Heart Health
Good lifestyle and nutrition play a vital role in keeping your overall heart health condition. You can lessen your risk of heart ailment by deciding what smart food to choose.
Have a focus on fiber-rich whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, and lentils.
Choose plant-based fats, such as nuts, seeds, avocado, and olive oil, rather than taking animal-based fats such as butter.
Read on further to learn more about how to protect your heart for life.
1. Fruits and vegetables matter most
Eat more plant-based foods such as legumes and vegetables, and eat less fatty meats.
Vegetables and fruits are not only known for its low in calories, high in fiber, and antioxidants, but they are also known to help keep blood pressure in balance.
High blood pressure is a major risk factor that leads to stroke and heart attack.
The role of fruits and veggies are really so good because they are packed with potassium, a mineral that has been shown to lower down your blood pressure and that’s according to clinical studies.
Target for 4,700 milligrams of potassium daily for good a blood pressure at all times. That’s a daily intake of at least 2 cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables. The best of the choices are squash, leafy greens, bananas, and potatoes.
2. Fat is also essential for the heart
We should always consider the amount and type of fat you eat because it makes a difference if you have a proper regimen for this.
Research shows eating too much saturated fat like butter does not really make good for the heart. Some food lists are bacon, red meat, and ice cream does contain saturated fat that harms our heart.
You should also avoid trans fats or partially hydrogenated oils for it causes clog arteries and heighten cholesterol levels.
In fact, trans fat is considered by lots of doctors to be the worst type of fats that you may eat. It lowers your LDL (bad) cholesterol, and lessen your HDL (good) cholesterol.
In this case, there’s a lot of heart diseases that men and women experience and almost have killed them. Trans fats can be mostly found in commercial baked goods and fried foods in our cafeteria.
Here’s the good news, we can still eat foods with fats without harming our cardiovascular system.
Here come Omega-3 fatty acids, which is a type of unsaturated fat, have been discovered to be helpful in preventing sudden death from heart attacks. Fatty fish, such as mackerel, salmon tuna and herring, contain two types of omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). It is recommended to take 500 milligrams a day of omega-3 fatty acids. That’s equivalent to two 6-ounce servings of fatty fish per week.
Another type of omega-3 fat which has cardiac benefits is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Walnuts and flaxseeds and walnuts contain ALA. Just eat 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed or 1 ounce (about a handful) of walnuts every day for a healthy heart.
3. Exercise can make the heart good
Have a regular exercise and aerobic exercise for at least 30 to 60 minutes per day, and it makes your heart happy and healthier.
These simple activities really make a difference in the health of your heart…
- walking
- jogging
- biking
- dancing
You can also join some strength training, like weightlifting, at least 2 to 3 times a week. Remember to include and incorporate flexibility and balance exercises, too.
4. Manage your stress all the time
Have you experienced that even if you eat right and exercise regularly, you tend to manage stress poorly? Be mindful that too much stress can wreak havoc on your heart health.
Making a good sleep habit, practicing relaxation techniques, proper breathing, and nurturing healthy relationships are very much important to maintain and help protect you from the dangerous effects of stress.
