Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and a broken heart is the last thing we’d want to encounter. What better way to celebrate your heart than learning about how to better protect it? Heart disease accounts for nearly one-third of all deaths worldwide. Certain foods and exercises can influence the health of your heart. Taking care of your heart can be incorporated into your daily activities.
Health authorities recommend 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per week to reduce health risks. The Centers for Disease Control recommends cardio exercise for at least 30-minutes daily. With school schedules, it can be harder to incorporate extra activities into our days, but waking up early and heading to the gym or finishing all of your work before going other gym at night can be effective. Cardio exercises such as swimming, power walking, running, and cycling are all effective and count towards raising your heart rate, causing you to burn fat and calories.
Here is a list of benefits from cardio exercise.
- Lowers blood pressure
- It increases your lung capacity.
- Aids sleep
- It helps reduce stress.
- Improves stamina
- Strengthens immune system
- Gives you confidence and boosts mood
- Regulates weight
Along with cardio exercises, foods can also help maintain a healthy heart. Certain foods can influence blood pressure, triglycerides, cholesterol levels and inflammation, all of which are risk factors for heart disease.
Here is a list of foods for the heart.
- Berries
- Walnuts
- Beans
- Almonds
- Avocados
- Dark Chocolate
- Salmon
- Oranges
- Tuna
- Seeds
- Low-fat yogurt
- Oatmeal
- Leafy Greens
What you consume and do in your free time can influence the health of your heart. In order to avoid heart disease, incorporate daily cardio exercises and eat healthier foods from the list above.
Written by: Kayla Pool
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/benefits-of-aerobic-exercise
https://www.verywellfit.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-cardio-1229553
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/heart-healthy-foods#section15
https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/ss/slideshow-foods-to-save-your-heart
