Hidden Ways to Help your Heart!

The good news about heart disease- America’s number one killer- is that a healthy heart is within everyone’s reach.  You know some of the rules: Eat less fat; Eat more fruits and vegetables; Keep blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels in check. But there are more ways to boost heart health:

♥       Don’t Skip Breakfast. –most heart attacks occur between 7am and noon- possibly because cells that help blood to clot, called platelets, are stickiest then.  Eating breakfast appears to make platelets less sticky… and less likely to clump together and block an artery.

♥       Lighten Up- people who overreact to stressful situations are more likely to have heart trouble.  In one study, people whose blood pressure and heart rate jumped the most during frustrating tests were also the ones most likely to have reduced blood flow to the heart.

♥       Meet the “A’s”- you may have heard about antioxidants- vitamins A, C, E and beta-carotene, they appear to slow plaque formation in the arteries.

♥       Kick Tobacco if you are Using It- Smoking affects more than your lungs.  Fact is, within a few years of quitting, you’ll cut your risk of heart attack by at least half, similar to those that have never smoked.

♥       Get Off the Couch- sedentary living- not high cholesterol- is one of the biggest risk factors in heart attack deaths.  TIP: just a half hour of moderate physical activity most days of the week can deliver fitness benefits similar to traditional exercise routines.  So walk briskly, take the stairs, play actively with the kids. Live Longer!

Taken from TopHealth: health promotion and wellness newsletter.