Have A Heart
TLC for What Makes You Tick
You can lose it, melt it, break it, give it away---but there’s no denying that your heart is Grand Central Station for your body, your health, your emotions!
If you look after your heart, your heart will look after you.
“Yeah, yeah,” we hear you. You already know heart health is about what you eat and how active you are. That’s true: Eat less fat, exercise more.
But there’s more.
Listen up to some of the surprising ways to treat your heart right:
Eating Your Heart Healthy
- Produce packs a healthy punch. Eat your fruits and vegetables, particularly those rich in vitamin C—citrus fruits, dark leafy greens.
- Whole grains go the distance for heart health. Eat whole grain cereals, bread and enjoy whole wheat pasta and brown rice.
- Something fishy---try for at least two meals of week featuring fish.
- Oranges and other citrus fruit provide surprising protective antioxidants.
- Tomatoes, especially processed tomato products like salsa, catsup and tomato sauce, are loaded with lycopene, an antioxidant that protects the heart.
- Beans are full of fiber, phytochemicals, minerals and vitamins that are protective. Enjoy bean tacos, have bean soup, blend beans in the food processor for a yummy veggie dip called hummus.
- Oats are not just for horses. Enjoy oatmeal for breakfast as a heart-healthy start for the day.
- Nuts to you! Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts are all rich in unsaturated fats and are loaded with fiber.
- Chocolate. We’re not kidding. This favorite food contains phytochemicals that help protect against clogged arteries. Just don’t go overboard on the chocolate, dude!
Follow Your Heart
- Chill out. Really. Whatever stress-reduction practices you follow—exercise, laughter, meditation, deep breathing, prayer, yoga, confiding in a close friend, saying “I love you” to your family, or “all of the above”—contributes to your healthy heart.
- Floss those pearly whites. You read that right. Floss for healthy gums and it’ll do your heart good—research shows this! It’ll make your dentist happy as well. And you’ll have a great smile!
- Get enough zzzs. Yes, sleep is very important for your heart. Dream on—it’s an assignment for good health!
- Laugh it up! Those silly jokes or movies are good for your blood flow! Need a chuckle? Check out www.youtube.com/categories for the comedy section.
- Enjoy daily exercise. Find an activity you truly enjoy—whether it’s a team sport or solo. Dancing, skate boarding, swimming, running laps. Make it a habit for life.
- Maintain a healthy body weight; being overweight makes your heart work harder and can lead to a very high risk for heart disease.
- Put down that lighter. Do we have to tell you not to smoke? Don’t start. If you do smoke, quit. Now.
Stay tuned, more coming soon!
