Better Innovations

Better Living Through Innovation

10 Tips For A Healthy Heart

By

A healthy heart is essential if you want to live a long and active life. The modern way of living is really taking its toll and could harm your little ticker considerably if you’re not careful. Long working hours, lack of exercise, chomping on convenience foods and bad habits like smoking and drinking are creating an unhealthy environment for our hearts, which means that it’s less likely to last the average life span of 66 years.Keeping your heart young and healthy should be one of your main priorities in life; so if you’re going to do your best for your little muscular organ these are all essential:
Healthfile4671234819876[1]y eating: Eating a healthy, balanced diet is essential if you want to maintain all aspects of your general health. Most importantly, it will keep your heart going for longer. When maintaining a balanced diet it’s a good idea to keep a food diary so that you know exactly what you’ve eaten and when you ate it. Make sure you eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains along with a small amount of red meat.
Body weight: Making sure that you’re a healthy weight is essential if you want to keep your heart healthy. A BMI between 20 and 25 means that you fall into the optimal weight category and should strive to maintain this. Maintaining a healthy weight will not only improve your heart’s chances but will also reduce your risk for diabetes and high blood pressure.

Exercise: Exercise is essential even if you don’t have the time to go to the gym. Take a spinning class or doing yoga just 30 minutes will improve your heart rate which will help to make it stronger and healthier. Exercises like yoga are not only beneficial as they help to keep your entire body healthy but they also relieve stress which helps to calm your heart too.
Active: With some careers it really isn’t easy to fit in regular exercise which makes it even more important to make sure you’re active throughout the day. If you make a conscious effort to walk up the stairs rather than taking the lift or to walk to or from work then you’ll be making up for some of the time that you can’t exercise as well as transforming your sedentary job into one that’s a little more active.
Bad Habits: Bad habits,like drinking and smoking aren’t good for your overall health or your heart. Although habits and addictions are hard to break, cutting back and quitting slowly is much easier and you’ll be improving your health as you go.
Stress: When things in life go wrong, people tend to turn to comforts like bad foods, drinking and smoking. Because none of these things help you manage the stres,s it will continue to build, slowly knocking years off your life. If you want your body and heart to remain healthy through stressful times, it’s essential to learn to manage your stress levels. Rather than choosing comfort foods and bad habits, make an effort to go out and socialize with friends or go away for a relaxing break.

 

Neil O’Callaghan has a family history of heart disease so follows all of these steps along with advice from the London Cardiovascular Clinic to keep his heart healthy.

How To Keep Your Heart Healthy For Valentine’s Day

By

file1771264379137[2]February is the month of hearts: heart-shaped cards, pillows, soaps, boxes of chocolates, even eggs! But have we ever took the time to think about our actual blood-pumping heart? Do we keep it healthy enough to enjoy future Valentine’s days?

Aside from being the Valentine’s month, February is also known as the American Heart Month. With heart disease being the leading cause of death for both men and women (according to CDC), you might want to start paying close attention to your cardiovascular health. If you don’t know where to begin, here are some healthy heart tips.

Get regular exercise.

Everyone needs regular exercise as daily exercise can reduce the risk of heart disease. It also helps control your weight and reduces stress. According to the American Heart Association, ages 18-65 should be getting at least 30 minutes of intense activity five times a week. Brisk walking for 30 minutes is good, but if you have a sedentary lifestyle, take small steps. You can start with activities such as gardening, walking the dog or taking the stairs.

Stop smoking.

If you haven’t started, don’t even think of it. Smokers are more likely to have a heart attack than non-smokers. Staying away from smoking can prevent heart and lung diseases, aside from cancer. If you already had a heart attack, quitting smoking reduces the risk of a second one.

Keep weight down.

An obese person is more likely to have a stroke or heart attack compared to those who have a normal BMI. Extra fat also puts extra stress and strain to your heart, pushing it to pump harder. If you want to put your weight down, try eating more fruits and vegetables and less sugary food. Utilize cold press juicers to help you make nutritious fruits drinks. Make sure not to go beyond two drinks of alcohol a day as well.

Maintain oral hygiene.

High levels of bacteria found in infected areas of the mouth can increase the risk of stroke and heart disease. Also, bacteria from the mouth can enter the body and reach the heart – resulting in myocarditis and endocarditis.

Reduce salt intake.

Too much salt intake increases the risk of high blood pressure. On average, Americans take in more salt than the recommended limit not because of the salt shakers on the table, but because of processed food, canned goods, breads and pastas. Try eating food that is less processed to decrease salt and improve the overall quality of health.

Manage stress.

If you are stressed, you are vulnerable to unhealthy lifestyle choices such as smoking, unhealthy eating, and drinking alcohol. Ensure a healthy heart by taking time to relax from work or personal stressors. You can do this by trying meditation techniques, yoga, music therapy, or simple relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises.

Know your numbers.

It’s a great idea to monitor your status to know where you stand. Frequently check your body mass index and blood pressure. Get yourself screened and take advantage of cheap healthcare plans for regular visits to the doctor. When you know your heart’s health status, you would know what you should do for a more healthy lifestyle.

The tips mentioned above will keep your heart healthy for Valentine’s day (and any other day of the year, for that matter). Have a happy and healthy heart!

About the author: Melissa Page is a fitness buff who works with numerous successful companies. When she’s not busy writing, she’s at the gym or at bowling centers.

Brush your teeth for a healthy heart

By

Dental hygienist flossing a patient's teeth du...
Image via Wikipedia

Most people recognize the importance of good oral hygiene for healthy, strong teeth but many people may not be aware of the serious health issues linked with poor oral health. For many years, dentists have believed that the mouth provided a window for the rest of the body and of late numerous research studies have confirmed a link between good oral and general health, thus making brushing your teeth more important than ever.

How is oral health linked to heart disease?

It may seem strange that brushing your teeth could help to effectively save your life but many research studies have now confirmed that this may be the case. In 2010, a research team led by Professor Richard Watt, from University College London, used information published in the British Medical Journal to determine how oral health affects heart health. The study involved more than 11,000 people and researchers found that people who do not brush their teeth twice a day are up to 70% more likely to suffer a heart attack than people who brush their teeth twice a day. The study took a number of different factors into account, including lifestyle choices and medical history.

The results of the 2010 study were supported by a study carried out at the University of California’s Berkeley School of Public Health; the study, which focused on the link between heart disease and oral health in women, found that women who attended regular dental visits were much less likely to suffer from heart disease.

Why do oral health problems contribute to heart disease?

The relationship between heart disease and oral health has become an increasingly important issue, as a number of studies have now found that a healthy mouth can help to reduce the risk of heart attacks and heart disease, as well as strokes. Many experts have attributed the relationship between oral health conditions and heart conditions to the presence of harmful bacteria; bacteria from the mouth can enter the bloodstream and it may attach to fatty deposits on the walls of the arteries, causing inflammation. Inflammation is linked to strokes and heart attacks, as blood flow around the body becomes disrupted and this affects the transportation of oxygen to the brain.

Preventing oral health and heart problems

Research into the link between oral health and an increased risk of heart disease is ongoing but many studies have already confirmed that poor oral health can cause heart problems and dentists are therefore keen to promote good oral hygiene and raise awareness of the importance of good oral health.

In order to keep dental and general health problems at bay, there are a few simple steps you can take:

  • brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes each time (most people brush in the morning and then again in the evening)
  • avoid sugary and acidic foods and drinks
  • use dental floss on a regular basis
  • use mouthwash
  • visit your dentist every six to twelve months for a routine check-up; if you experience pain, bleeding or swelling, arrange to see your dentist as soon as possible

Richard is a contributor to the Cosmetic Dentistry Guide resource where he has come to learn that a healthy smile goes a long way to one’s overall health. He partakes in some online marketing and also has some creative writing he does on the side. He would like to wish you all a healthy heart.

About Us

Blog Archive

Privacy Policy

Disclaimer

Disclosure

Contact Us