February is Heart Awareness Month and even though it only happens once a year, we recommend adopting these heart-healthy habits for years to come.
EXERCISE REGULARLY
Prioritize scheduling time to incorporate at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise each week. The awesome news is that the average BollyX class is 50 minutes long and is considered vigorous; therefore, doing BollyX 3 times a week will improve your heart health. Did you really need yet another reason to do more BollyX?
EAT A FLAVOR-FUL DIET
Fiber – aim to eat 25-35 grams of fiber daily from whole grains, such as quinoa and oatmeal, beans, fruits and vegetables.
Lean protein – fish, lean skinless poultry, lean pork, limiting red meat. Eggs are
also a great source of protein. If you don’t eat meat, get protein from low-fat dairy products, tofu, edamame or beans.
Antioxidants – quick lesson about cellular life: all cells experience oxidation which create free-radicals that damage cells. Without antioxidants to combat this, cell damage proliferates causing disease and other problems. By increasing your consumption of antioxidant-rich foods (vegetables and fruits) you can significantly decrease your odds of getting heart disease. A few examples of antioxidant-rich foods: spinach, acai berries, kale, lemon, green tea, peppers.
Vegetables and fruit – as mentioned previously, eat more fruits and vegetables (organic preferred) to maintain heart health. The skin of fruits and vegetables are nutritionally dense so picking organic produce and eating the skin will give you more bang for your buck.
Omega-3 fatty acids – don’t be shocked when you hear that eating more fatty acids can help lower your risk of heart disease. Omega-3 fatty acids are naturally found in salmon and tuna and should be eaten more frequently than any other proteins. Aim for 500-1,000 milligrams a day (a can of tuna gives you 500 mg). Many foods these days are fortified with omega-3’s (sometimes labeled as ALA, DHA or EPA) so if you don’t like fish, there are other options. Plant-based omega-3 sources are not as effectively incorporated into the body as fish sources but still a viable option for vegetarians (flaxseeds, walnuts).
Rainbow – eat the colors of the rainbow when selecting produce. While eating spinach is healthy, if all you ate was spinach, you would miss out on other nutrients that spinach doesn’t have, yet is available in other fruits and vegetables. Red peppers, oranges, yellow bananas, green broccoli, blueberries, purple eggplant, white cauliflower, etc.
REDUCE STRESS
Those who exhibit specific personality traits have an increased risk of heart attacks: anxious, angry, competitive, depressed, hostile, impatient, uptight. If you feel any of these characteristics describe you, consider seeking ways to channel your emotions so that stress is decreased in your life. Seek the assistance of a therapist or friend, or try meditation or yoga, to turn your negative emotions into positive ones.
DO NOT SMOKE
Self-explanatory
SLEEP
Aim to sleep between 7-8 hours a night. Believe it or not, too much sleep is as bad for your heart as too little. “Findings released last year by Chicago Medical School suggest that people who catch fewer than six hours of Zs a night are twice as likely to have a stroke or heart attack, and one-and-a-half times more likely to have congestive heart failure, whereas people who slumber more than eight hours a night are more likely to experience chest pain and coronary artery disease.” [http://abcnews.go.com/Health/heart-healthy-habits-now/]
If you already do some or most of the things on this list, congratulations! If you don’t, consider adding them one by one until you’ve adopted all of these habits. Do all that you can to keep your one and only heart strong and healthy.
Don’t forget to also check out our shop for our limited edition XOXO Heart top. In celebration of Heart Awareness month, all profits will be going to American Heart Association!