How to Form Heart-Healthy Habits
Heart Disease is still the number one cause of death in the U.S. Developing Heart Healthy Habits early can help not only your heart but also your overall wellbeing.
Try the 3 E's to help form Heart Healthy Habits: Eat, Exercise, Ease
Eat
The fast pace of our lives can make it easy to stop at the nearest fast-food restaurant to grab a quick bite instead of seeking out fresh fruit or vegetables. Did you know that a CDC report found that people get an average of only 1.1 fruits or vegetables a day?
Here's how to build healthy eating habits:
- Assess what you eat each day. Read labels to be aware of the fat, carbohydrate and sodium levels in the foods you buy.
- Increase your vegetable and fruit intake to 6-8 servings per day. Determine the unhealthy choices you are making currently and replace them with nutritious options.
- Decrease salt (sodium) intake by not adding to food when cooking or choosing less processed foods.
Exercise
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) & National Institute of Health (NIH) recommend the following guidelines for physical activity.4
| Type of Exercise | Adults | Elderly |
|---|---|---|
| Physical | 150 Min/ Week | 150 Min/ Week |
| Aerobic | 300 Min/Week (Moderate) or 150 Min/Week (Vigorous) |
As ability allows |
| Muscle Strengthening | 2x a week | Improve balance |
| Type of Exercise | Physical |
|---|---|
| Adults | 150 Min/ Weeke |
| Elderly | 150 Min/ Week |
| Type of Exercise | Aerobic |
|---|---|
| Adults | 300 Min/Week (Moderate) or 150 Min/Week (Vigorous) |
| Type of Exercise | Muscle Strengthening |
|---|---|
| Adults | 2x a week |
| Elderly | Improve balance |
Still need help to get moving? Here's how to get active:
- Choose an activity such as walking, kickboxing or bicycling that you enjoy.
- Start with short amounts of exercise several days a week. Increase frequency and duration as you establish a routine.
- Find a buddy, join an exercise blog, or join a gym with exercise classes. Accountability and support will help you not give up.
Ease
Stress over time can cause heart disease and high blood pressure. Ease up and find ways to cope with stress to increase your heart health.
- View challenging situations in a different light. Decide if there is something that can be done about it, and if not, let go of situations that are out of your control.
- Slow down and smell the roses—Listen to music, read a book, or take a vacation. Get a good night's sleep, many times when you wake in the morning well rested your outlook is better as well.
- Replace unhealthy habits with better ways to ease your mind. Realize how caffeine and nicotine can increase your blood pressure and raise levels of stress hormones. These hormones can make you jittery, restless and irritable.
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