The truth is heart disease is the number one killer in the United States. Sadly, it has been for many years. Before the 20th century heart disease was not a common occurrence. By the 1950’s it became the most common. It’s believed that the increase in smoking cigarettes and poor dietary choices led to the increase in serum cholesterol.
Thankfully there are things you can do to help prevent an unhealthy heart event. Follow along for our top tips to get (and keep) your heart healthy.
Know your numbers - Your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels are good indicators of heart health. If you have a family history of heart disease, it's important to be screened for cardiovascular risk factors
Move your body - Your heart is a muscle that requires exercise to stay healthy. The more you exercise, the better off your heart will be. Exercise is an essential part of managing your overall health and well-being, both mentally and physically, and can help prevent heart disease in the future by strengthening muscles around blood vessels. Exercise can help prevent high blood pressure and diabetes, two risk factors for heart disease. Try going for a walk, doing yoga, even dancing, and playing with the kids counts.
Mind your weight - This is different than watching the scale. Maintaining a healthy weight can help reduce your risk of developing heart disease. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes losing 5-10% of body weight may improve how well medications work in controlling the condition.
Quit smoking - If you smoke, quitting can help lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. Quitting also reduces the risk of lung cancer, emphysema (a chronic lung disease), and other smoking-related diseases. Over the years we were shown (by magazines, TV commercials, and even friends and family) that smoking is cool and sexy, but it's not! The truth is that smoking is bad for your health and makes it hard to breathe when you're old. Smoking damages the vessels which can cause plaque to build up.
Eat foods to support your health - eat plenty of fruits and vegetables (at least five servings per day), cut back on sugary foods and drinks (including soda), watch your sodium intake by reading food labels closely for hidden salt content, and remember to drink plenty of water! If you’re unsure of what to eat for your specific situation our Nutritional Genetics Test will help you take the guesswork out of meal planning.
Supplement your diet – in a lot of situations we can’t possibly eat enough of certain foods to get the amounts of vitamins and minerals our bodies need to thrive. You may want to explore these Pure Essentials supplements for your heart health: Ultra Magnesium.
A healthy heart makes for a healthy life, which means that it’s never too late to start making changes in your life. Start today by asking yourself one question: “What can I do today to improve my health?”
