February is National Heart Month. Here are five simple daily actions to show your heart some love.
1. Brush those pearly whites. Maintain good dental hygiene to reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke. Make sure to brush your teeth twice a day and floss once daily!
2. Eat “good” fats. Avoid eating trans fats (often found in packaged food) and enjoy healthy fats like those found in avocado, olive oil, nuts and seeds or fatty fish like salmon.
3. Get your Zzz’s. If you don’t get enough sleep, you could put yourself at risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke, or heart attack – no matter your age or health status. It is recommended that you aim to get seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
4. Stay away from smokers. Do your heart a favor and stay away from secondhand smoke! Studies have shown the risk for developing heart disease is 25 to 30 percent higher for people who have been exposed to secondhand smoke.
5. Sit less, move more. Recent research has shown how sitting six to eight hours per day is linked to a variety of complications that can threaten our wellbeing. So, make an effort to move more throughout the day. Every 30 minutes that you sit, try to get up, take a walk or stretch.
“5 Things to Do Daily to Keep Your Heart Healthy,” A. Marc Gillinov, MD, health.clevelandclinic.org, Jan. 19, 2015.