6 Surprising Ways to Help Your Heart

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When it comes to cultivating a healthy lifestyle, your heart is one of the components to pay close attention to. A lot of heart related illnesses are hereditary; therefore, it’s very important to be proactive when it comes to warding off heart disease, preventing strokes, monitoring blood pressure, and lowering your cholesterol. While the regiment can appear overwhelming, at first glance, adapting a lifestyle changes isn’t as difficult as it seems.

With the help of cookbooks, established health websites and forums, apps, and your doctor helping your heart isn’t that hard. Before you get out your notepad and begin jotting down an exhaustive list of must-dos and goals, it’s important to know that small moves can be impactful. Heart.org recently published interesting and insightful feedback from Dr. Lloyd-Jones, a volunteer with the American Heart Association. “Small changes matter,” he said. “If you can lose weight, or maintain a healthy weight, you can reduce your risk of diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.” The key is incorporating positive elements into your routine to decrease the chances of developing a chronic condition.

Above all, do your research. It’s easy to get bogged down by the articles on the internet or the segments featured on national television. A lot of the health elements we take for granted and may even succumb to preconceived assumptions versus the actual facts. Here are a handful of surprising things that you can do to help your heart.

Calcium & Antioxidants

Contrary to what many dieticians and nutritionists recommend, supplements are not always the answer. Studies have found that calcium supplements can actually increase your risk for cardiovascular disease and heart attacks. Instead of leaning on supplements to attain your recommended intake, use natural sources like low fat diary and greens. Kale, broccoli and spinach are excellent ways you can get the calcium necessary for your body.

Antioxidants are another surprising way you can help your heart. Several studies have seen huge advantages from having antioxidants incorporated into a daily dietary plan. The average individual gets their antioxidants from fruits and vegetables; however, other sources such as: grains, teas, and chocolate are resourceful too. Additional foods to consider, that have high antioxidant levels, are: berries, artichokes, beans, lentils, apples and cocoa. If you’re looking for an afternoon snack that’s fulfilling, try incorporating granola and/or blueberries with a low-fat yogurt. This low-calorie snack will keep you from eating junk food and sustain your hunger.

Eat More Potassium & Cut the Sugars

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In order to define a healthy line between salty and processed foods, incorporate foods high in potassium. Foods that naturally have high levels of potassium are: broccoli, potatoes, tomatoes, peas, squash, apricots, bananas and citrus fruits. You may not know this, but potassium plays a vital role with every heartbeat. The average heart beats a hundred thousand times a day. Potassium gives your heart energy to squeeze blood throughout your body. Moreover, it also helps your muscles to move, your nerves to function appropriately, and even aids lends a helping hand to your kidney so that it can filter blood.

You may be wondering, “Well, how much potassium should I consume on a daily basis?” Great question! The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends healthy people should have 4,700 milligrams per day. Basically, the easiest way to get enough potassium is adding high potassium fruits and vegetables into your diet. Still confused or maybe you’re stumped on recipes? No worries, friend, we’ve done some digging and have some tasty potassium enriched recipes readily available. Eating Well is a great resource. From salad to stuffed potatoes, there is something for everyone.

Go to the Dentist & Brush Twice a Day

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Believe it or not, going to the dentist on a regular basis will keep your heart healthy. Studies have found getting your teeth cleaned twice a year will lower your risk for heart attack and stroke. Professional cleaning can help to reduce inflammation caused by bacterial growth. Despite your daily brushing procedures, plaque can build up and cause bacteria to develop. In most cases, the bacteria growth and inflammation can be invisible to the naked eye.

In between visits, it’s imperative that you brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss. Flossing will remove food and build up. It’s important to rinse with fluoride 1-2 times a day as well. Steer away from mouth wash. The minty taste and smell of mouth wash is misleading. While it can freshen your breath and whiten your teeth, mouth wash doesn’t necessarily kill bacteria in your mouth. Fluoride, isn’t as tasty as mouth wash, but it contains the properties to kill bacteria, thus decreasing your chances of having gingivitis or other infections.

Download an App to Monitor Your Activity

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Being active can be more intense, than the average person believes – especially if you have a typical office job. The demands of work and home can be very demanding and oftentimes we’ll forget how important it is to be active. Sometimes we need a little help and encouragement when it comes to being present within our activeness.

Thankfully, there are a ton of phenomenal apps that you can download to help with your active goals. We’d love to share a few of our favorite free apps. MyFitnessPal comes with a calorie counter, barcode nutrition scanner and an archive of recipes that import scanned foods. You’ll have the ability to track your food intake and calories that you burn. Sworkit is an awesome workout app. Not only does it offer exercise videos demonstrated by professionals, but it encompasses more than 200 types of exercises and even includes specialized apps for children. Workouts can be customized to your special needs, limitations or time constraints. What makes this app different from others is that it combines interval training with random exercises – this increases the effectiveness of every workout you perform; not to mention it keeps your routine fresh and less boring.

Cooking Oil

Odds are if you’re in the kitchen preparing meals for yourself and/or your family, you utilize cooking oils to create delicious meals. As simplistic as it may sound, the type of cooking oil you’re using can affect your heart’s health. The American Heart Association recommends using a liquid vegetable oil or nonfat cooking spray whenever possible. Selecting oils with the lowest saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol can make a big difference within your waistline. Don’t fret, we’ve got a list of substitutions that The American Heart Association approves: canola, corn, olive, safflower, sesame, soybean, and sunflower oil.

Olive oil is one of the highlight recommended oils to use because it has a mix of antioxidants that can lower bad cholesterol without impacting your good cholesterol. With that said, it’s important to fully understand portions and calories. For example, one tablespoon of olive oil spray equates to 120 calories.

Get to Know Yourself

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Okay, this sounds simple, right? Actually, not true. A lot of people deal with stress, anxiety and uncertainty on a daily basis. Even though these aspects are mental, they can definitely effect your heart’s health. Studies have shown that people who have a high sense of their life’s purpose and do not report being anxious have a lower risk of heart disease and stroke.

You may be thinking that knowing your purpose and organizing your mental health is easier said than done – you’re absolutely right. Knowing wholeheartedly the direction you would like to take in life and being able to quiet your mind is difficult; however, reading the right books and listening to influential speakers are remarkably helpful. If you’re struggling with finding your way, we encourage you to research inspirational podcasts and literature that speaks to your needs. Additionally, yoga is also a way many individuals find peace and tranquility within their life.