Heavy Hitters for Heart Health

Why:
Heart disease is one of the primary reasons people die prematurely, and the habits that lead to heart disease also make you disabled in your later years instead of young and energetic into your 70s and beyond. If you want to avoid living the last decades of your life taking a long list of medications and lacking the health to do the things you love, start investing in your long term health by pouring energy into healthy habits.

There’s a million recommendations on how to keep your heart healthy, here’s some key habits that will make a big difference.

Exercise

• Go on daily walks to decrease stress. The walking is minimally intense and produces smaller results, walking outdoors will increase mental clarity and decrease stress (which will indirectly lower blood pressure)

• Set a fitness goal and work towards it

• Do a 7 minute workout app every day. This will really get your heart working and make a huge difference in your energy levels, weight, and longevity.

• Get a blanket or yoga mat and do push ups, squats, crunches, and other calisthenics that get your heart beating on breaks at work
   

If you are obese or your blood pressure is over 140/90 you are at high risk act now. See a cardiologist to guide your decisions, especially with exercise, as you make lifestyle changes to improve your long term health.

Nutrition

• Have your Carbs (breads, pastas, sugars) at the end of your meal and proteins at the beginning–This avoids blood sugar spikes which can lead to hardened blood vessels, obesity, and numbness. Decreasing carbs is even better and will help you be more alert

• Decrease sodium intake and increase potassium intake (to 3,000 mg per day)–both are salts.

• Eat one more vegetable per meal. Even if you’re just snacking on raw carrots or broccoli, the extra nutrients will help you feel full and give your body more resources to keep you healthy

• Eat a mediterranean diet. It takes more preparation, but tastes great and decreases your risk of dying from heart disease by 70% (1)

• Do a nutritional consultation at our clinic or with a nutritionist for a personalized healthy eating plan

• Cook your own food instead of eating out of a bag, box, or restaurant. 

Set a nutrition and exercise goal and expect results within 2-4 weeks.
 

1. DuBroff, R., & de Lorgeril, M. (2015). Cholesterol confusion and statin controversy. World journal of cardiology, 7(7), 404–409. https://doi.org/10.4330/wjc.v7.i7.404

Photos by Mikhail Nilov and Jane Doan