Having a healthy heart does not happen overnight. It takes a lot of effort starting even before the time that we were born — the parents and ancestors that we have, the environment we grew in, and the lifestyle that we keep. So if you were born a normal baby, you have to take care of yourself, particularly your heart.
February being Heart Month in the Department of Health calendar, this article will focus on how we can keep a healthy heart. Here are some heart-right moves towards a healthy heart:
Drink coffee. Findings of a study revealed that women who regularly drank decaffeinated or regular coffee at lunchtime had a reduced risk of type-2 diabetes compared to those who didn’t drink java.
What does coffee have to do with diabetes? The study’s researchers believe that the beverage’s nutrients may help slow digestion and help support healthy blood sugar levels.
Furthermore, new and emerging research suggests that coffee consumption helps support the cardiovascular system by fending off chronic inflammation, and promoting the production of HDL “good” cholesterol (The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition).
Snooze time at night for seven hours. One study consisting of young and middle-age adults who slept seven hours a night had less calcium in their arteries (an early sign of heart disease) than those who slept only five hours or less, or those who slept nine hours or more.
Moreover, the quality of sleep has an impact on having healthier arteries than those who did not sleep soundly. If you have any problems related to sleeping, talk with your doctor.
Choose dark chocolates. A study done in Germany which followed up people for 10 years revealed that chocolate eaters had healthier hearts.
More specifically, compared to those who ate less chocolate, people who ate about one ounce of chocolate per day had lower blood pressure, and a lower risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
Flavanoids, the nutrients found in cocoa, support healthy blood vessels and overall heart health. To get the most benefit with the fewest calories, enjoy about an ounce of dark chocolate per day.
Keep the pressure off. Be sure that your blood pressure level is within normal limits. If your blood pressure gets too high, the extra force can damage artery walls, and create scar tissue, making it more difficult for blood and oxygen to get to and from the heart. The heart has to pump harder and gets worn out faster. If it can’t get enough oxygen, parts can start to die. Cut back on salt, have one to two drinks a day, eat right.
Throw your heart a birthday party! Not getting any younger? It turns out you can get younger, at least when it comes to your heart health. Following all of these tips can help you keep a low “heart age,” a tool created by the CDC to help people understand their true risk for heart disease. Heart age is based on risk factors you can change, and those you cannot like age, gender, and family history according to James Beckerman, MD. So go for it — boost your heart health now.
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Author’s email: nenita.tayko@foundationU.com
