LifeStream Services is joining the nation in recognizing Heart Health throughout the month of February. Did you know that Heart Disease is the leading cause of death in the United States? The risk of developing heart disease increases in people over the age of 65.
Fortunately, there are a number of ways to be pro-active and stay heart healthy, and it’s not as hard as you think! There are many small changes you can make to your daily routine to show your heart the love it deserves. Small acts of self-care, like taking walks, getting quality sleep, and cooking healthy meals, help your heart. We’ve heard a lot of discussion about self-care and its importance throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Self-care is what you do to stay healthy and care for any health problems you may have , such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and mental health disorders. Self-care should be something you practice ongoing.
What parts of your self-care routine help you heart?
Self-care for your heart is really self-care for your whole self. You can improve and protect your health overall when you:
- Get a daily dose of physical activity such as a brisk, 30-minute walk.
- Cook meals that are low in sodium and unhealthy fats.
- Take your medications as prescribed and keep your medical appointments.
- Sleep 7-8 hours a night.
- Manage stress through, for example, meditation, yoga, a warm bath, or a quiet time with a good book or funny movie.
- Try to reach or stay at a healthy weight by moving more and having snacks like fruits and veggies ready to grab when hunger hits.
How can you make self-care for your heart easier?
The trick is to plan ahead. Build heart-healthy activities into your daily self-care routine. Schedule things that are both good for you and important to you. You might want to set aside time to:
- Cook delicious, heart healthy recipes. Check out the recipes on the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s website.
- Go for a bike ride, take an online class, or pick up planting a garden.
- Make that doctor’s appointment you’ve been putting off. Many providers now offer telehealth appointments to make accessing care easier.
- Organize your medications.
What’s your health status?
Part of self-care is knowing your health status. Even during uncertain and busy times, get your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels checked. Talk to your health care provider about your heart health.
LifeStream is here to assist you in your journey to remaining active, healthy, and independent. LifeStream can help make your heart health journey easier by providing transportation to medical appointments, delivering meals to your home, connecting you with a volunteer opportunity, and so much more. Please browse our website for more info and chat with us if you have any questions, or give us a call at 800-589-1121.
Follow us along on our Facebook page as we share information and celebrate Heart Health!
Information in this article was provided by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Learn more by visiting their website at www.nhlbi.nih.gov.