Never underestimate what a big difference a few small, positive actions can make when it comes to improving the health of your heart.
Pumping at least 2,000 gallons of blood each day, the heart is a strong, tenacious muscle that more than earns its reputation as the hardest-working organ in the body. Yet as tough as our ticker may be, it’s also vulnerable to cardiovascular diseases, heart attacks, strokes, and other serious conditions.
Still, even if you’re not immediately concerned about such issues, it’s worth remembering that your heart health can impact your day-to-day quality of life too. Poor cardiovascular conditioning can leave us feeling sluggish, tired, and even depressed. It can also weaken our immune system, leaving us more susceptible to illness.
In other words, no matter what your age or lifestyle, taking steps to improve the health of your heart is undoubtedly the best thing you can do to live a long, healthy life.
Not sure where to start? Here’s our top 10 tips.
1. Quit smoking
With the number of people smoking at an all-time low, this first tip may not apply to everyone, but if you’re one of the 6.9 million Brits who still smoke cigarettes, then the absolute most important step you can take to protect your heart health is to stop smoking.
The abundance of chemicals in cigarettes makes them one of the biggest causes of cardiovascular disease (CVD), with an estimated 140,000 premature deaths due to CVD caused by smoking.
The good news is that these deaths are entirely preventable. There’s a whole range of support out there to help you quit smoking, so before you do anything else, take advantage of that support and put those cigs out for good.
2. Get active
If you’ve always thought of exercise as simply something to do to lose weight, you may be interested to know that regularly getting active can also do wonders for the condition of your heart.
Exercise improves oxygen delivery, reduces inflammation, and generally improves your quality of life. That’s not to say you immediately have to start training for a marathon or hitting the gym 24/7.
As little as 150 minutes of moderate activity (ideally spread out into 30-minute intervals, five days a week) can be enough to keep your heart healthy. This could be as simple as taking a brisk walk around the block, swimming, cycling, or anything that gets your heart beating faster.
3. Swap your protein sources
Did you know that red meat contains a high level of saturated fats that can damage your heart?
While you don’t have to stay away from your favourite steak forever, try swapping red meat for chicken, turkey, or fish at least a few times per week.
4. Reduce your salt intake
On a similar note, red meat also contains a high level of salt, as do foods such as pizzas, salad dressings, certain canned beans and other goods.
Take in too much salt, and your body retains more water which raises your blood pressure and puts a significant strain on the heart and blood vessels.
Lower your salt intake, and you begin to lower that strain and pressure, ultimately leading to a healthier heart.
5. Manage stress
Feeling overly stressed puts you at a higher risk for heart attacks and strokes. To prevent this, be sure to take some time out for your favourite stress-relieving activities.
Whether it’s taking a relaxing bath, meditating, or even just switching off to spend time with friends and family, the more you can do to alleviate stress, the better.
If you find yourself constantly stressed out, you may even want to talk to a therapist about how to cope better.
6. Improve your sleep quality
When we sleep, our body is hard at work healing, restoring, and repairing itself. Getting enough hours of good quality sleep not only helps to lower your stress levels, it can also help you maintain healthy blood pressure levels and puts less strain on your heart.
Adults should aim for between 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night to enjoy optimum health.
7. Cut back on alcohol
Any time we drink alcohol, our heartbeat and blood pressure levels temporarily rise. Do this over a long period, and you may find yourself with a weakened heart muscle and/or faster-than-normal heartbeat.
That’s not to say you have to go sober forever. Simply cutting back will go a long way to improving your cardiovascular health.
8. Make smarter snacking choices
Fried foods, salted nuts, candies and other low-quality foods can all contribute to weight gain. The more weight you gain, the harder your heart has to work and, thus, the more pressure it’s under.
Try swapping those foods for vegetables, fruits, and other healthier snacks so that you can enjoy a healthy weight that’s kinder to your heart.
9. Maintain good hygiene
Washing your hands may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to improving your heart health, but it can make a difference.
Doing this regularly, as well as practising good basic hygiene can help to prevent colds, flu, and other illnesses, all of which put a strain on the heart.
10. See a doctor
Last but not least, if you only take one step as a result of reading this article, let it be this: Go visit your doctor and get your blood pressure checked out. You also might want to ask to be tested for diabetes, as undiagnosed diabetes can lead to problems with the heart.
Talking to your medical professional can help you get a better understanding of your heart’s current health, not to mention ensuring you get any treatments or solutions you may need to live healthier for longer.
