6 Ways to Take Care of Your Heart

Next week is Women’s Heart Week, a time to remember to take care of our tickers. Heart disease is one of the top killers in America. Here are 6 ways you can help celebrate this week.

6. Eat a Healthy Meal

And then eat another, and another… Make healthy eating a good habit. Just start with one today—replace your bacon and hash browns with some oatmeal. Or use one of these heart-healthy ideas. Whatever you do, just keep it up and you’ll be surprised at how quickly it becomes a part of your normal routine.

5. Move It, Move It

Dance, walk, bike, jazzercise, play tennis… There are literally hundreds of ways to move your body. One really simple one that we like to do in our house is put some music on while we clean. You shake your body while you’re dusting, folding laundry, or doing dishes and before you know it, you’ve worked up a sweat for twenty minutes.

4. Cut Salt Out

Replace this enemy of thy heart with something more savory and delicious—how about some garlic, oregano, sage, rosemary, cinnamon, or other herbs to flavor your dishes with? Experiment and find out what you like.

3. Say No

Decline any obligations that you don’t absolutely have to do. When you overspend your time and energy, you wear your poor heart out. It needs plenty of rest, you know! It never stops beating for you; the least you could do is give it a little break, which leads us to…

2. Stress Less

Stress is a heart killer. You might think that with your diet and exercise program, you’re immune from heart disease or other ticker issues, but you’d be wrong if you’re working twenty-hour days every day of the week and never resting. Manage your work schedule to be as close to eight hours as possible. If you’re a stay-at-home-mom, be sure to get as many breaks as you can from willing relatives and friends. Take up yoga, tai chi, or simply listen to relaxing music with a candle each day.

1. Spread the Word

If you know someone who could really use some lifestyle changes to help his or her heart, gently offer to help out. Maybe you’ve been there and you know some tips she can use. Maybe you could just be a walking buddy, or lend an ear. Be supportive, don’t judge, and make sure your friend knows that her health is important to you.