Charlotte Hilton Andersen has composed an interesting article based on the information received from top cardiologists and other doctors on how they choose to protect their own hearts.
I would like to share this information with you in hopes that one or more tips might aid you in a healthy heart.
Science shows a diet without cholesterol does not necessarily lower a person’s cholesterol. It is often acting as an anti-oxidant when the cholesterol in food is high. Great satiating protein and essential fats!
Sleeping less than 8 hours of sleep a night can be linked to higher blood pressure. Keep your room dark, don’t drink caffeine after 10 a.m. and don’t watch TV right before bedtime.
Opt for taking the stairs in lieu of elevators and escalators. These reduce the amount of exercise we should be getting on a daily basis.
Meditating for 20 minutes a day gives us the reset we need. Stress can cause catecholamine release, or as more commonly known, the fight or flight response. This can lead to heart failure and heart attacks.
Do not miss meals and end up just grabbing junk food during the day. Even if this means using a meal-delivery service for those healthy meals and snacks.
Stress hormones have been linked to increased risk of a heart attack or a stroke. Try CrossFit for an exercise that blunts the cortisol spike.
Women who took a multivitamin for more than 3 years significantly reduced their risk of heart disease. Eat a well-balanced meal but don’t forget that multivitamin tailored to your specific needs.
Humor in everyday situations helps to maintain perspective and dilates the arteries and keeps blood pressure down. Be sure to find the best in everything and keep that humor going.
Poor oral hygiene can lead to systemic inflammation, so be sure to take care of those teeth. This theory does need more research to determine if it decreases heart attacks or strokes, but having a healthy mouth is important to overall wellness.
Eat lots of berries that have natural anti-oxidants such as vitamins C and E, and anthocyanins.
Keep that blood pressure in check by eating a healthy diet, staying physically active and maintaining a healthy weight.
Be sure to eat lean proteins to help the heart. Grass-fed meat and wild-caught fish along with olive oil, nuts, and veggies are great choices.
Because higher hormone levels in women can affect how blood vessels stretch and contract to make them vulnerable to arterial tears and blood clots, have your hormones tested.
Choose your cooking oils carefully and avoid products with palm oil. Look for those with olive, coconut, avocado and almond oils.
With all the stress and psychological distress, good friends and family can help, so make time for the loved ones.
Avoid junk food and soda to keep your high blood sugar and insulin resistance under control. These are precursors to diabetes.
Spend more time outdoors and get that vitamin D from the sunshine.
Prolonged cardiovascular exercise lowers blood pressure, increases good cholesterol, reduces bad cholesterol and triglycerides and stabilizes blood sugar.
Try the Mediterranean diet instead of grabbing chips. Slice up an avocado and keep those snacks healthy.
These are just some of the many suggestions on protecting your heart. You may have many more yourself, but hopefully, these suggestions will help you along the way. Happy healthy eating and a happier and more fulfilled life.