Keep Your Heart Healthy

Heart disease accounts for more than 40% of deaths in the United States alone. It is therefore imperative that you and others you love learn how to keep the heart healthy. The good news is that this leading cause of death can be prevented. How? By learning the signs and reducing the risk of developing heart disease.

Smoking is the single biggest risk factor you can control. A person that smokes is at a much greater risk for developing heart disease. In fact, as few as two cigarettes a day increase the risk, and second hand smoke isn’t any better. Smoking exposes your lungs to carbon monoxide, which depletes the oxygen in your blood and causes plaques to build up in your arteries. These plaques not only result  in clogged arteries, high blood pressure, and an overworked heart, they  also cause strokes.

If you have diabetes or your doctor has told you that you’re pre-diabetic, then you’re automatically at a higher risk of developing heart disease. Both diabetes and pre-diabetes mean that your insulin response isn’t working as it should. It’s not telling your body to use the sugar in your blood for fuel. This means that your blood glucose levels stay high. This causes inflammation in your arteries and gets plaques to build up. Because oestrogen provides some protection from plaque build-ups, peri-menopausal and menopausal women with diabetes or pre-diabetes are at an even higher risk of developing heart disease.

People who are overweight or inactive have a significantly higher risk of developing heart disease. The heart has a much bigger job to do when a person is overweight. In addition, obesity is often caused by a diet that is high in fat and sugar. These tend to make plaques develop on arterial walls, which also cause the heart to work harder. A deranged body metabolism  is caused by inactivity, high blood pressure, a high fat and high sugar diet amongst other things. Eating a healthier diet and getting regular physical activity can reverse both obesity and poor body metabolism, thus eliminating or significantly reducing the risk of heart disease.

High cholesterol, high blood pressure, birth control pills, poor diet and lack of regular exercise are all factors that can contribute to a higher risk of heart disease. Simple lifestyle changes can make a significant difference in reducing the risk of heart disease leading to a healthier and happier life.

Take Control of Your Health by Keeping Your Emotions in Check

Life is full of stresses, surprises, challenges, and frustrations. There are days when even the most optimistic and resilient people may feel pushed to their limit. This stress is not only bad for your disposition, it can also have a detrimental effect on your health.  It’s important to be able to determine if your emotions are having a negative effect on your health and take action to correct the situation. Take a look at these scenarios.

You work hard and plan for time away from it all. Sure enough, on the first day of vacation you feel it coming on. You’re getting a cold. This is a sure-fire sign that you’ve been pushing just a bit too hard. Your immune system held the germs off as long as they could. Now you’re sick. It happens to millions of people ever year. Fortunately, getting adequate rest often rectifies this situation. Ensure that you get enough of rest while you are on vacation. Do not use this period to catch up on other chores you may have been putting off.

This one is actually quite common with students. They push through, study hard, and make it through the finals week. They head home for break or they take a trip and they are sick the entire time. If you experience this, it means your stress is a bit out of balance. Find simple things you can do on a daily basis to find a sense of calm and ensure that you take adequate care of yourself.

Daily stress impacts your systems at just about every level. Your body has to work harder to manage basic life sustaining activities. It uses more energy to simply survive. Thus, you’re tired. Stress also affects your sleep. If you’re feeling exhausted more days than you feel energetic, take a look at your emotions. Do you consistently feel stressed, frustrated, or overwhelmed? If so, it may be time to create a few positive habits to bring your emotions back into balance.

Chronic stress causes obesity and weight gain. Hormones released in response to stress tell your body to store fat. Additionally, you may be receiving signals from your body to eat more because it needs energy to function. So you eat more and unfortunately that fuel you consume is stored as fat – it provides little energy for your body. That’s the cycle that chronic stress creates. If you’re gaining weight and you’re not sure why, take a look at your lifestyle. Ask yourself how you can reduce stress and create habits that better manage it.

Other signs that your emotions are affecting your health include, feeling depressed, acne breakouts and other skin conditions, as well as a low sex drive. Simple habits like meditation, exercise, and journaling can help reduce stress and improve your health. 

Stay Healthy Everyday

The Essential Elements of Staying Healthy

Your emotional health has a direct impact on your physical health. Stress weakens your immune system. It also causes inflammation which leads to deadly diseases like heart disease and diabetes. Depression impacts your immune system as well as does anger and frustration.

You can take steps to improve and strengthen your physical health at the same time. Here are the steps you need to take:

Do Something Joyful – Take time every day to do something that makes you smile. Getting out in nature is good for both the mind and body. Visit friends,  go for a bike ride, dance, or play ball. Laughter has been shown to improve health and immunity.

Find a Purpose – You don’t need to make huge changes to your life to find your purpose. Helping others, spending time on activities that make you feel useful and relevant, and getting involved in your community all help a person feel important and help improve emotional health.

Good Self-Care – Good self-care means paying attention to your body. Know when your body is telling you that you need more sleep, need nutritional food, or need to take time away and unwind.

Exercise – Exercise provides just as many mental and emotional benefits as it does physical benefits. Find an exercise program that you enjoy. Exercise shouldn’t feel like a chore but rather something fun that you’re doing for your mind and body.

Set Aside Downtime – Give yourself permission to sit and daydream, contemplate the world, journal, meditate or just explore your senses. Downtime is an important part of maintaining a healthy mind and body. It allows your brain to rejuvenate and it helps you find and maintain balance in your life.

Each one of these steps is important to lifelong health and well-being. They’ll help you feel more grounded, calm, and focused. Your emotional and mental health have a direct impact on your physical health. Don’t forget about them.