World Heart Day 2022: Be heart healthy

This World Heart Day, let’s have a light conversation about the importance of having a healthy heart and how one should take care of it. Knowing about cardiovascular disease and measures to prevent it is extremely important for all of us, especially for adults over 40, to make sure they follow a healthy routine.

An unhealthy lifestyle, stress, excessive salt and sugar intake can lead to high blood pressure, which is harmful to the heart. The past few months may have tempted you to lead a sedentary lifestyle, with limited physical activity and excessive consumption of junk food, which can have long-term adverse effects if left unchecked. So step up! It’s time to take a little more care of your heart!

These simple changes to your diet and lifestyle can go a long way in keeping your heart healthy and happy:

Start your day with whole grains – Eating whole grains like brown rice or whole wheat provides great nutrition and is good for the heart too. Swap your white food for brown while keeping an eye on portion sizes. Other whole grains like barley, oats and buckwheat are some other interesting options for you. Remember to never make your food routine mundane.

Be friends with fruit – Indulge in your favorite fruits, but make sure you don’t overdo it. Chop them into your fruit salads or blend them into juices and smoothies. Consistently eating at least two fruits a day will surely help a lot. While all fruits are full of sweetness and nutrients, berries and pomegranates are great for heart health because of their wealth of antioxidants. So eat more ‘red’ for good heart health!

So fit away from the couch – Get off the couch and get moving. Take small breaks between your work routine to walk and stretch a bit. Early morning workouts are usually the best for keeping your metabolism up and your blood flowing.

You can’t go wrong with vegetables – Green leafy vegetables are a must and no fuss can change that. Vegetables with every meal are a must. A bowl of vegetables tends to keep you fuller for longer and helps you cut down on the extra carbs you might be reaching for.

Don’t be a night owl – You can be wise, but not if you don’t sleep on time! Getting an adequate amount of sleep is essential, while working long hours will only add to your stress. Work out a proper sleep schedule and stick to it consistently. A good sleep is usually between 7-8 hours. Anything less than that can make you lethargic, moody, or put on weight.

Go crazy for some nuts – Stock up on almonds and walnuts so you can snack on them whenever you get hungry. They monitor cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Give your brain enough rest – Meditation and yoga are known to control stress levels. Take 10 minutes out of your daily life to meditate and let go of all your thoughts.

While medication can help nip it in the bud, a healthy lifestyle can go a long way in preventing heart-warming trends like high blood pressure that lead to poor heart health over time. So this World Heart Day, let’s promise not only to follow our heart, but to take care of it. Happy World Heart Day 2022!