23 Ways To Take Care of Your Heart (More Than One Month a Year)

We tend to focus our attention on our hearts at the beginning of every year. We have new resolutions and goals in January, and then February is Heart Month, but what we forget is that our heart is with us every day of our lives! Why, then, do we only pay attention to it one month out of the year?

It is, perhaps, no accident that Heart Month contains Valentines Day. Some people only think about their hearts in terms of it being broken, or when finding new love and it being uplifted, but there is so much more to taking care of your heart than when emotion is involved, and Heart Month was to remind us of that.

There are many ways to take care of your heart, from not smoking, to being loving to yourself, and having an active lifestyle and eating plenty of foods that contribute to your overall heart health.

Here are 23 ways to keep your heart healthy, young and forever happy. Some are things that you have heard over and over again, but warrant to be said again, and some might be new to you.

Eat a Clean Diet

A clean diet is low in processed foods and uses as many natural products as possible. Some examples are eating an orange instead of drinking orange juice, fixing your own chicken for sandwiches instead of using deli meats, choosing whole wheat bread and pasta instead of white varieties.

(Photo courtesy of Wooden Earth Cutlery)

Be Full of Beans

One third of a cup of cooked beans daily can lower your chances of having a heart attack by 38%. Time to add beans to the diet!

Reduce Your Sodium Intake

Sodium increases your risks of hypertension that makes your heart work harder (and wear out faster). Table salt is usually not your biggest enemy as most of the sodium in our diets come from fast foods and processed foods.

Cut Back on Saturated Fats

No matter what your age and risk factors are it will help you to lower your LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and set you up to live a longer life. Limit saturated fat to 7% of your daily calories (10 to 11 grams).

Cut Back on Breakfast Cereals

While there are some healthy options, most cereals are far from being a healthy start to the day. Too much sugar, no vitamins or fiber, high levels of sodium and even trans fats turn this traditional breakfast food into a problem for your heart. Before you buy your next box take the time to read the label and choose the most natural and healthy cereal.

Sip Some Tea

The antioxidants in green and black tea improve blood vessel function and increase blood flow. Drink your tea without sugar (add some honey to give it a sweet note) and choose organic loose tea that has not been stripped of all healthy nutrients.

Go Bananas

Bananas are the most heart healthy fruits because of the high levels of potassium. Dried apricots and prunes are also excellent sources of this mineral.

Sono Italiano

Italian cuisine uses tomatoes and tomato sauce abundantly and it is your best bet to lower your risks of heart attack or stroke by 65%. Spaghetti with Marinara sauce, vegetarian lasagna and pizza with half the cheese and double the sauce are excellent ideas for any heart-healthy meals.

Get Hot

Hot peppers and hot sauce contain a chemical called capsaicin that protects your heart and arteries from any possible problems. Bring the heat to boost your heart health!

Flexibility for Health

A recent study in Japan has found that people who were limber after 40 had 30% less stiffness in the arteries. Stretch for 10-15 minutes every day to keep your arteries nimble.

Enjoy Exercising

It is important for your body to move and for your heart to get a workout, but it is also important to enjoy what you are doing. If you love the exercise you are doing then you are more likely to stick with for many years.

Add Resistance Bands to Your Home Gym.

This inexpensive prop can spruce up any boring workout and help you build muscle mass that reduces your body fat and raises levels of good cholesterol.

Interval Training

The best type of exercise for prevention of heart disease and diabetes. Follow a 3:1 ratio while exercising – 3 minutes of moderately paced activities followed by 1 minute of high intensity activities. You can try it while walking and running or you can combine different types of exercise like lunges and jumps. Just 20 minutes of interval training is as effective for your heart as a whole hour of moderate exercise.

Take a Vitamin D Supplement

Vitamin D (vital for your bone strength) also plays a very important role in protecting you from heart disease. Vitamin D deficiency doubles the risks of dying from heart disease by 50% (according to the Framingham Heart Study). Ask your physician to test you for vitamin D and take a supplement if needed.

Get Enough Sleep

Anxiety, bad mood and irritability are not the only consequences of not getting enough sleep. Skimping on sleep can promote calcium buildup in the arteries, which can lead to heart attack causing plaque.

Have a Few Green Plants in Your House

Seeing green increases happiness and creativity and decreases stress levels according to a study from Washington State University. Plants also clean the air in your house or office from pollutants like chemicals and dust that can trigger rapid spikes in blood pressure.

Take a Tech Break

Being plugged in all the time puts you on the edge and increases the production of stress hormones that cause your blood pressure to rise. Turn off your cell-phone in the evening, don’t check your email and log off any IM system. Take this time for yourself and read a book or talk with a friend or your partner.

Organize your Life

Why is it relevant to your heart? Cluttered environments suppress your productivity and increase your stress levels which affect the health of your heart.

Let Yourself Relax

Being in a “always-ready” mode is very stressful. Let somebody else take care of the kids, order take-out (not more than twice a month though), take a day off from house work and let yourself relax. Your heart will enjoy this break from your busy lifestyle.

Be Happy

According to a study done in Nova Scotia, Canada, happiness and general positivity protects the heart from any degenerative disease.

Practice Random Acts of Kindness

While you are taking care of your physical heart do not forget that you are more complex than a machine. A kind heart is as important to low cholesterol for your health. Be kind for no reason and find joy in this kindness.

Try Something New

Keep your heart open to new experiences by trying something new as often as possible. This practice will keep your heart agile and young for many years and when you are 60, 70 or 100 you will not consider yourself old. You will be a person who has lived (and is still living) his/her life with a young heart.

Be Childlike (Not Childish)

Children are honest, joyful, full of energy, open to the world, full of love for the entire world, not scared of anything and absolutely adorable. Play with them, spend as much time with them as possible and learn from them. This is the best way to maintain your youthfulness inside and out.

Try adding these 23 different methods of heart health care into your life and improve your well being!

When it comes to caring for your heart health, many believe it is limited to the changes in their diet and levels of activity. But did you know that improving your heart is also linked to mental health? Take a look at how mental health and your heart are connected and what you can do to start boosting both mind and body!