Heart Health For Women

Today I would like to focus on a few things that can help us achieve better Heart Health. There are so many avenues offered but I prefer to continue with the ones that are simple, tried and true.

1.  Manage   

Manage sodium intake. It is unreal how much salt is put into canned vegetables and other processed foods. So what can we do when we buy our vegetables and other processed food in a can?  Rinse all canned vegetables and meats such as tuna, salmon, etc.  under cold water for a minute or so. Try switching to fresh vegetables if available. There are so many spices that can actually make unsalted food taste really good, so experiment.

2.  Exercise 
Exercise and I don't mean run a marathon or bike the Appalachian Trails. I simply am suggesting a minimum of 15 minutes each day doing some consistent activity that can get your heart excited enough to beat a bit faster and harder.  The heart is the biggest muscle in the body and we have to give it a workout to keep it strong. Walk, run, hop, skip rope, ride your bike, etc,,  Take you hubby or kids along for the company.  I have 26 steps in my house, I walk up the stairs, down the stairs, through the great room and down the stairs to the basement.  And then I reverse it and I do no less then 20 reps of this each day. Dance while you sew or iron. And you say "what"?  Turn on the music and get your feet to moving, and you torso rockin'.  Amazing how much it works your body and definitely can put you in a great mood (and you're burning calories).  Sing loud and long. Again you say "what"?  If you sing at the top of your lungs and hit different ranges it will cause you to breathe deeper as you get into it and this not only strengthens the heart but improves you lung function which will allow you to breathe easier during strenuous times.

3.  Cut
Cut caloric intake by eating 5 times each day starting with breakfast. And by having a snack in the mid-morning and mid-afternoon, your tummy is always satisfied and you are less apt to dig into the chips, cookies, etc.. Those of us who don't take the time to eat in the morning, are hurting ourselves more then if we were 24 hour stuffing of our faces.  I'm not saying cut out all your snack goodies but use good judgment. And remember it isn't our job to force our ways onto others, just our job to suggest it.  Once again, enlist your kids to help and you will see an improvement in their morning demeanor and allow them to concentrate better in the morning hours of school and ultimately bring home better grades.

 4  Drink
(I knew that would get your attention)  "Sure goo ole buddy, let's have a little drinky poo". ( LOL, my version of a drunk.)  We all know to drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water a day but rarely do any of us accomplish that. Here is how I get it all in and maybe a bit more.  The first thing I do each morning is go get a glass of cold water and drink it all while standing at the kitchen sink looking out the window.  I continue through the day by doing the same thing before consuming snacks and meals.  There are lots of perks involved here such as, clearer and firmer skin, we eat less because there is a ton of water sloshing around in our tummy's taking up a lot of room, our breath will stay fresher, no coffee, soda, beer breath involved here.  And I need to say here, coffee, soda, beer, wine, cocktails DO NOT replace the water we should drink each day. All of the "extra good" drinks I listed have so much sodium in them and lead to dehydration,wrinkles and saggy/baggy body parts.  Drink that water ladies and keep the girls a bit perkier for a while longer and the rumpus nice and round, not flat and saggy. 

That is enough for today and I hope you each will make these 4 things a big part of your daily life. I can do all of them in less time then it is taking me to write this!!  So go forth and read, eat, exercise and drink each and every day.  You will be so happy with yourself.  And above all else you are maintaining a "Heart Healthy" lifestyle.

Jeanne