When it comes to the health of your heart, what you do and what you don't do can truly make a difference. That's because lifestyle choices.like smoking, poor diet and lack of exercise.can be far more dangerous than hereditary factors.
Here's a step-by-step plan that will help you make smart choices and help get your ticker in top form.
Action 1: Pump your heart
For optimal health, you'll need to do enough physical activity to burn between 3,500 and 6,500 calories a week (or roughly 500 to 950 a day). Most of that calorie loss comes from everyday tasks, but science shows that you'll also need about 60 minutes a week of stamina training.cardiovascular exercise that gets your heart rate up and makes you breathe harder. Here's what to do:
- Do at least three 20-minute cardio workouts a week. A few brisk walks will do it.
- Add strength training to your workout routine.
Action 2: Know your numbers
We're talking the big three.cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar. Consider these numbers a stock ticker for your ticker. They tell you how you're doing, and when you need to do more. When you have them measured, make sure your doctor also tells you what your goal levels should be and what you can do to get there. Getting more active, losing weight and making smart food choices can help get these numbers in a healthy range.
Action 3: Get happy
There are lots of reasons to be happy, including your heart health. Negative emotions like anger and hostility can raise blood pressure. People with depression are four times more likely to have a heart attack. And while we don't understand how emotional stress causes physical stress, we do know there's a powerful connection. To get yourself in a better mind-set, adopt a more positive outlook and manage daily stressors.
Action 4: Eat your heart out
When making out your grocery list of heart healthy foods, follow this simple rule of thumb: opt for foods with healthful fats, fiber and good-for-you nutrients like flavonoids, vitamins and minerals. And nix the salty, sugary, sat-fat-laden or processed stuff.
Action 5: Learn from your relatives
Even though you have a lot of control over your own heart-healthy destiny, a family history of heart disease can raise your risk significantly. So, along with talking to your doctor about a schedule of heart screenings, talk about your family health history, too. And if Mom, Dad or a sibling developed heart disease, you'll want to be extra vigilant about screenings and about adopting heart-smart habits.
Action 6: Schedule sleep
If you don't snooze 6 to 8 hours a night, you increase arterial aging and raise your risk of a heart attack. Inadequate sleep will also cause you to release less serotonin (the feel-good hormone) in your brain. The result: You may seek out other, less healthful ways to feel good, like noshing on sugary foods or tipping too many martinis. Try this Deep Sleep plan to get your ZZZs.