This is a love letter to your heart muscle! Not only is today Valentine’s Day, February is heart health month! That means this is a great time to show your heart some TLC!
And your heart totally deserves it! Did you know this hard-working muscle can beat around 3 billion times over your lifetime?
Pretty amazing, right? Your heart deserves as much support as you can give it to keep it strong and supple!
Here are some eye-opening stats showing why that’s so important: Every 40 seconds, someone in the US has a heart attack. And every 37 seconds in the US, someone dies from cardiovascular disease.
It’s also the top killer in Australia, Canada, and many parts of Europe.
Pretty scary! But the good news is there are some very simple things you can do starting TODAY to take care of your heart.
For a healthy heart …
→ Eat more plants. Start by eating an extra veggie or fruit every day!
→ Add cold-water fish (like salmon) to your diet, because they are rich in heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids.
→ Workout: both cardio and strength training exercise can help keep your heart strong.
→ Snack on raw nuts instead of sugary, processed foods (i.e., chips and cookies).
→ Avoid high-calorie (and sugary!) drinks like flavored lattes and soda. Drink water instead.
→ Practice deep breathing or meditation. These can help lower your blood pressure.
→ Every day, take a few minutes to say thanks. Having a gratitude practice is linked with better heart health.
What can you do TODAY to show your heart some love?