Here’s the reason I ask, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 610,000 people die of heart disease yearly and heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common type of heart disease; it kills over 370,000 people yearly. Every year, approximately 735,000 Americans experience a heart attack. It’s more than likely that you or someone you know could experience a heart attack or a heart related issue in the future.

The CDC also explains that if you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoke you’re more at risk for heart disease. About 47% of the American population has at least one of these three factors, but it doesn’t stop there. Lifestyle choices and medical conditions also play a role and may put you or a loved one at a higher risk for heart disease.

You also have to be careful if you are:

• Diabetic
• Obese
• Eat a poor diet
• Physically inactive (or aren’t active enough)
• Drink excessively.

Remember, the likelihood of experiencing heart related problem increases with all these factors. This is why even though we talk about Valentines being the day of love it should also be the day for self-love, the actual heart, and what needs to be done to satisfy both. So, moving forward what can be done to improve heart health? How can you use this as an opportunity to love and appreciate yourself more?

You may have to do some spring cleaning; start taking account of the habits, patterns, behaviors, and people around you. What’s causing stress and leading to poor habits that could lead to an eventual heart problem? If you’re stressed out is it causing you to eat poorly and neglect your health? Are there people causing you grief and making it difficult for you to just live and be happy? What’s going on and where can you make changes? Lastly, what’s the impact that these negative factors are having on your life as it relates to your heart’s health?

 

What changes can be made to your lifestyle? While this relates to the first point I want to emphasize the necessity of a healthy dietary plan and exercise. If you wanted to go a step further, include foods that are healthy for your heart and avoid the opposite. The American Heart Association (AHA) suggests you eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, skinless poultry and fish, nuts and legumes, and non-tropical vegetable oils.

 

It’s advised that you cut back on salty, sugary, fatty, and oily food choices. Eat more fish with omega-3 fatty acids (e.g. salmon, trout, and herring) and please, let me re-emphasize the need to drink in moderation. If you’re drinking has increased pay attention to what could have caused it. It’s fine to kick back and have fun, but at the end of the day you must focus on loving yourself, and if you truly are you’ll think twice about what you allow in your personal space and in your body.

 

I hope you focus on yourself this Valentine’s Day and analyze the things that need to change. Practice self-love by taking care of your heart. I’d like to show some love to our friends at the Educational Fitness Solutions and mention their Functional Nutrition program. If you’re worried about your heart health and want to develop a more firm understanding of your eating habits and what you need to be eating more often, check out the program

 

Here’s the program >>