Heart Health 2020

Valentine’s Day isn’t the only day in February where your heart should be on your mind! February is American Heart Health Month, and this week, Health Services of North Texas is going to be looking at how exercise and a healthy heart go hand in hand.

 

Heart Healthy Exercise

Studies show that inactive people are nearly twice as likely to develop heart disease as those who are active. The good news is that you don’t have to run marathons in order to be active! You can take a walk around the block, bike to the store instead of taking your car, or play an active game with your children. Simply doing 30 minutes of physical activity a day can reduce your chances of developing high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

 

Your heart also takes care of your body by pumping blood throughout your system, carrying all the food, vitamins, and minerals that you eat to wherever your body needs it. It’s no surprise, then, that what you eat is important, too! For example, frequently eating foods that are high in cholesterol can lead to plaques in your arteries. Plaques form when cholesterol builds up and sticks to the walls of an artery and, in the worst cases, can sometimes break off and cause a heart attack.

 

Heart Healthy Diet

Along with regular exercise, we can change our eating habits. For example, we can try eating more fish, nuts, and seeds. These are high in Omega-3s, which support healthy blood pressure. These are just some examples of a good diet, and while they might seem daunting at first, these habits will soon lead to a tastier and more fulfilling dinner plate and a healthier heart.

 

Make an appointment at a Health Services of North Texas location near you if you want to learn more about heart health or if taking control of your health is on your list of things to do in 2020.