If you care at all about your health and your body, you’ll surely want to take good care of your heart. After all, it’s perhaps the most important organ in your body or one of them at least. And there are also many things that you can do that will impact on the overall health of your heart. This is certainly something you need to think about, so read on to find out about 5 of the bad habits that won’t do anything at all to help your heart.
1. A Salty Diet
Having too much salt in your diet will be really damaging in the long-term, and it’s something that you definitely need to try and avoid if you want to keep your heart healthy. Consuming too much salt is one of the major factors that can lead to high blood pressure, and this is a condition that can take its toll on your heart if it’s left untreated. You should start improving your life by consuming less salt.
2. A Sedentary Approach to Each Day
These days, many people do jobs that involve not much more than sitting in front of a computer. And then they get in the car, drive home and sit on the sofa until they feel like going to bed. The problem with this kind of lifestyle is that it’s incredibly sedentary. You should try to squeeze in at least a little exercise each day so that your lifestyle doesn’t become completely sedentary and lazy.
Whether you are a regular exerciser or just getting started, you need to ensure you take steps to protect your heart when you exercise in the summer heat.
Drink plenty of fluids.
Drink water before, during, and after exercise to ensure you stay well-hydrated. Avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks.
If you dislike drinking plain water, add flavor by adding fruit slices to a pitcher of water and refrigerate for a couple hours. You can try water with berries, cucumber, melon, oranges, or mint.
Those who worry about heart health issues due to genetics or lifestyle can start helping themselves today. The best thing that anyone can do is to be proactive about the choices they are making with regards to their heart health. The truth is that a few tweaks over a long-term period can do wonders for those who think heart issues could become a problem for them. Nothing will change if you are not willing to change your habits and the changes are not always as revolutionary as one might think. The following are tweaks to your lifestyle you can make in order to put your heart in better health.
Cut Down On Your Alcohol Intake
Everyone has heard that one glass of red wine per night can help with blood pressure. This might be true but the same rings true for grape juice as the antioxidants are what can help with heart health. Those who drink too much put their entire body under stress as most people do not stay well-hydrated and the consuming alcohol and/or caffeine can further exacerbate the issue. Too much caffeine and alcohol can be deadly as the alcohol can wear off far before the caffeine leading to issues. Work to cut your alcohol intake in half as your first tweak to a healthy heart…and liver will be much better off. Continue reading →
Use these tips to grill healthy foods that are safe, nutritious, and flavorful all summer long.
1. Select the right protein.
Healthier protein choices include skinless poultry, fish, lean red meat, and lean pork.
All visible fat should be trimmed prior to grilling.
Select cuts of meat that are labeled loin, round, choice or select. You may also use leaner group chicken or turkey in place of traditional red meat burgers.
Avoid prime grade beef which has more marbling (i.e. fat).
Use a rack so fat drips away from food.
2. Make grilled fish a regular part of your summer.
Fish is rich in heart healthy omega-3’s.
Healthy types of fish include salmon, trout, and herring.
3. Use the right seasonings and sauces.
Marinate meats, poultry, and fish for amazing flavor, low salt flavor.
Use ~ 1/2 cup of marinade or a tablespoon of spice rub per pound of meat.
Use spices, such as chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, paprika, or rosemary. Avoid salty seasonings like teriyaki, barbecue, and soy sauce.
This guest post is provided by Danielle Roberts. Danielle is a Medicare expert and co-founder at Boomer Benefits where she and her team help thousands of New to Medicare individuals each year.
Heart Disease is one of the leading causes of death for people over age 65 in America. Throughout your adult life, you have probably seen a number of information campaigns about preventing heart disease. Fortunately, once you enroll in Medicare, there are a number of preventive services that you can take advantage of that will help you stay healthy and avoid heart disease.
Cardiovascular Screening
Medicare Part B offers a number of annual preventive care benefits. This includes a cardiovascular screening. Your physician will check both your blood pressure and your cholesterol levels and inform you if you are at risk for a heart attack or stroke. He may encourage the use of aspirin or give you tips to introduce you to a healthy diet as well.
Your doctor may also conduct cardiac stress testing to look for changes in your heart around the time of exercise that point to blockages in your arteries. Medicare will cover the stress testing if you are exhibiting symptoms that are indicative of heart disease, such as shortness of breath or chest pain.
Cellular vitamin D receptors are found to affect inflammation, suggesting vitamin D may not only impact risk factors contributing to heart disease but may also directly impact on heart disease.
How much vitamin D do you need?
The Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) develops Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), which are broken down into Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), Adequate Intake (AI), and Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL).
We use these established DRIs to know how to of a nutrient to include in our diet daily for optimal health.
The FNB recommends 600 IU of vitamin D daily for men and women between the ages of 19-71 years-old.
What happens if you get too little vitamin D?
A study conducted at the University of Copenhagen reviewed data from studies with more than 10,000 participants comparing those with low vitamin D levels (less than 15 ng/mL) versus the highest levels (more than 50 ng/mL). Those with low levels were 64% more likely to have a heart attack, 40% more likely to develop ischemic heart disease, had a 57% increased risk of early death, and 81% more likely to die from heart disease.
What happens if you get too much vitamin D?
The UL for vitamin D is set at 4,000 IUs per day. Intakes above this level are connected to elevated serum levels that increase risk for adverse health effects. Long-term intakes above the UL increases risk for cardiovascular events, such as heart attack.
How to include vitamin D every day:
Obtaining needed nutrients in your diet is always preferable to supplements. However, vitamin-D rich foods are limited.
So, what can you do to ensure you receive 600 IU of vitamin D daily?
Foods rich in vitamin-D include:
Fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel are top sources of vitamin D.
Most milk in the United States (US) is fortified with vitamin D. Note: Cheese and ice cream are not fortified with vitamin D.
Cod liver oil contains 1300 IU’s of vitamin D. This is twice the RDA, but does not exceed the UL.
One of the best vitamin D sources is not found in the grocery store.
Sunlight.
Twenty to twenty-five minutes of sun exposure without sunscreen allows your body to produce vitamin D. However, where you live impacts whether or not sunlight is adequate.
If you live above the 40th degree latitude (i.e. North of Denver, CO) sunlight is not adequate during January and February. If you live above the 42nd degree latitude (i.e. North of Chicago, IL) sunlight is not adequate between November and February.
For more information on foods and diet to lower cholesterol and promote heart health, sign up for my free e-course How to Lower Cholesterol in 8 Simple Steps HERE.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Health Pro for HealthCentral
There are many reasons to exercise…
