There are so many different ways to maintain your body and stay healthy. Some people do extreme sports, some religiously go to the gym, and others try all kinds of different paleo-atkins-beach-cranberry diets. Regardless of what method you choose, the ultimate goal of all these practices is to protect your heart. Your heart is one of the hardest working muscles in your body, and proper diet and exercise all contribute to keeping it beating as strong as it was on day one. There is no one "correct" way to do this, but incorporating these 5 tips into your life will improve your lifestyle and have you feeling healthy.
Lose weight.
Though it is much easier said than done, losing weight is key to helping your heart. Too many calories and fatty foods put far too much stress on your heart, and excess fat will greatly affect your blood cholesterol levels. Cut out the saturated fat, take the stairs more often, and learn how to eat healthier.
Go light on the salt.
Excess salt in your diet has been shown to increase blood pressure levels. Use less salt in your cooking, and try to stay away from adding more at the table. In part this goes hand in hand with eating healthy overall; too much of one thing can be bad.
Exercise.
Whether it is a walk to the park, doing house chores, or going to the gym, 30 minutes of activity daily is all you need. Any kind of activity that gets your heart rate up will keep it beating strong.
No Smoking.
Quitting smoking (or never starting at all) greatly reduces your chances of getting cancer and heart/respiratory diseases. If you need any more reasons why smoking is bad for you, it constricts the blood vessels and affects circulation.
Relax.
Once again, for many this is much easier said than done. However, reminding yourself to take deep breaths and not be overburdened by stress is very important. Stress raises blood pressure and at times it can be very dangerous. So kick your feet up and watch a movie on the la-z-boy once in a while.
Remember, there are many factors that all contribute to your heart's well-being. These are just some important measures to take for both preventing disease and maintaining your condition. In addition, by doing these things your overall health will improve as well. The key is to take it one step at a time because developing a habit for one will always lead to development of another.