Healthy life skill practices for the heart encompass a variety of areas, all of which will have you leading an overall health-promoting lifestyle. You will be increasing your cardiovascular functioning while also obtaining the proper nourishment to operate at your optimum level. The practices are not expensive, difficult nor prohibitive. You have the control over these natural remedies. Diligence in performing these practices and knowledge will be your keys to success.
Physical Activity
Getting the proper amount of exercise is essential for a healthy heart. Lack of physical activity can be a leading risk factor in developing heart disease, stroke, obesity and a variety of other health ailments, according to the American Heart Association and the Mayo Clinic. Exercise lowers harmful cholesterol levels. You need to set a goal of getting 30 minutes of moderately-brisk physical activity on at least five days of the week in order to keep your heart healthy. This 30 minutes can be broken down into 10-minute increments, also. Moderately-brisk activity involves you working up a sweat but still being able to carry on a conversation, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
Start bicycling, swimming, rowing, dancing or walking to get your exercise. Walking is the recommended activity according to the American Heart Association due to its low start-up cost and low dropout rate. Everyday activities you can do include taking stairs instead of elevators, parking farther away from entrances, leaf raking, lawn mowing and rearranging furniture.
Watch Out for Trans Fats
Trans fats can play havoc on your heart health. Trans fats not only increase your harmful LDL cholesterol level, they decrease your beneficial HDL cholesterol level. This is why trans fats are termed "double trouble" by the Mayo Clinic. Trans fats are found in shortening and partially hydrogenated oils. You need to know that even though a food label may state "0" trans fats, if the product contains less than .5mg per serving, it can be listed as 0. This small amount can add up and contribute towards heart disease.
Stop Smoking
You will improve your beneficial cholesterol level by quitting whatever level of smoking you do, the Mayo Clinic and National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute agree. Within 24 hours after you quit smoking, you reduce your chances of suffering a heart attack. Your heart disease risk is half that of a smoker, within one year after your quitting date.
Limit Cholesterol and Saturated Fats
Limiting your intake of cholesterol and saturated fats will aid your heart health, according to the American Heart Association and the Mayo Clinic. Saturated fats and cholesterol are found in animal-based products such as whole fat dairy foods, egg yolks and meat. Saturated fats and cholesterol-rich foods raise your harmful cholesterol level. Aim to consume less than 10 percent of your daily calories from saturated fats, as a general rule. Limit your cholesterol intake to less than 200mg daily, if you have heart disease. To help prevent heart disease, the Mayo Clinic recommends you get no more than 300mg of cholesterol daily.
Start choosing plant-based, unsaturated fats instead of cholesterol and saturated fats. This will help your heart health, states the American Heart Association. Find these fats in olive, cottonseed, sunflower, walnut, peanut and canola oils.
