Health
Heart Health: 7 Surprising Things You Can Do To Prevent Heart Disease
With heart disease affecting more people than ever, it’s important to do everything you can to prevent yourself from being affected by it. Here are seven simple tips you can follow to reduce your heart disease risk.
1. Think Positive Thoughts
The old saying ‘just think positive’ may sound trite, but research suggests it may actually have some benefit. A study found that people who felt good about their lives and had a positive state of mind were 33% less likely to have heart problems than people with the same amount of risk for heart trouble that was less optimistic. In fact, those with the greatest risk of heart problems saw the greatest benefit from a positive attitude: they were 50% less likely to have a heart attack!
2. Eat Berries
Besides just tasting good, it turns out that eating berries may help reduce your heart attack risk. The antioxidants and polyphenols they contain help support heart health, as well as reducing your risk of chronic disease and cancer.
3. Take Vitamin C
Supplementing your diet with around 500 milligrams of vitamin C every day can significantly lower your blood pressure and in as little as 2 weeks. Considering the other beneficial effects of vitamin C on your body, this is one supplement you should definitely consider taking.
4. Go For a Walk
It’s a well-established fact that moderate physical activity, such as walking, has enormous health benefits, among them is to strengthen your heart and increase your lung capacity. According to the Cardiovascular Institute at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a brisk walk five days per week for 30-60 minutes lowers your risk of heart disease by up to 40%!
5. Drink a Beer
A recent study found that, as with a glass of red wine, a glass of beer might be good for your cardiovascular health. The study found within a few hours of having a pint, participants’ arteries had improved blood flow to their hearts, which wasn’t the case with participants who drank non-alcoholic beer. However, keep in mind that this is the first study to show these results and involved only a glass of beer. Doctors and health experts agree that drinking alcohol in excess isn’t good for any part of your body.
6. Drink Coffee
Not only does drinking a ‘cup of joe’ a day lower your cancer risk and Parkinson’s disease, but studies show that coffee is full of antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation in the body (which is one factor of heart disease). If you’re worried about the caffeine though, go for decaf instead. Just make sure to skip or go easy on the sugar.
7. Brush and Floss
Not brushing or flossing regularly can lead to plaque build-up. The bacteria present in the plaque, in turn, can enter your arteries and inhibit blood flow, and clogged arteries can result in a stroke. If you want a healthy heart, keep those pearly whites clean and healthy.
Got any heat health tips to share? Leave a comment and let us know! We’d love to hear from you.