When it comes to taking care of oneself and working towards
a healthy lifestyle no one said it is going to be easy. There are some things
that may be easy to comply with, while others can be quite difficult to follow.
Like everything else that we learn in life is that we need to take things one
step at a time and continue with more healthy ways of living, eating,
exercising and routines until it becomes second nature for all concerned.
Tips that help aid and promote a heart-healthy lifestyle:
Getting a good restful sleep improves heart-health and
boosts the amount of energy one can expel the following day.
Being able to relax a few minutes daily can actually lower
your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Eating tree nuts such as; macadamias can lower total
cholesterol, LDL levels and triglycerides which, overall improves heart and
overall health.you can check 7 Wonderful Habits to Begin a Healthful Day
Eating less and exercising more makes good common sense.
Exercising moderately at least thirty minutes per day will
improve your physical activity. For those who haven’t exercised in years start
out daily with five minute intervals until you can obtain the thirty minute
goal for maximum benefits.
Decrease the amount of saturated fats, trans-fats, salt or
sodium, sugars and cholesterol based foods as you can.
Eat more whole grains, fat-free foods, low fat milk
products, fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, beans, eggs, nuts and poultry.
Other foods to include in your diet are canola oil, olive oil, nuts, nut
butters, olives, fish and avocados.
Try eliminating chips, dips, candies, chocolate bars and
choose more desirable and healthier snack foods such as raisins, sliced carrots
and fruit. Add some complex carbohydrates to your diet, such as pastas and
include seafood too.
There are other ways to exercise that can be done besides
doing sit-ups, push-ups or lifting weights such as raking the leaves in the
yard, process normal housework with an energetic spirit and pace. Try dancing,
walking, swimming or playing active games with the children to burn off
calories, increase your heart rate and reach the thirty minute exercise limit
that is the minimal daily requirement.
By eating less sugary and fatty foods and losing weight
you’ll help yourself prevent high cholesterol levels, diabetes and lessen your
chances of heart disease.
The hardest change you can make is lessening the amount of
stress in your life. Thinking positive and not letting the little things bother
you can be very beneficial to a healthy lifestyle. This step will take a lot
more effort than skipping a hamburger, bowl of ice cream or a platter with
potato chips and dips set out in front of you to resist. Stress is a major
factor in poor health and many of us are under an impossible amount of stress
to deal with on a daily basis. It is important to stay level-headed,
unemotional whenever possible when something upsetting occurs and walk away
from the small stuff with a shrug when we can.
Live long and healthy with good heart health and a healthy
lifestyle!