Heart Healthy Happiness

I hope everyone has been enjoying the new year!

Today we're going to talk about having a healthy heart!   What prompted this post?  January tends to be a stressful time for a lot of people.  Maybe you overspent in December and are freaking out about making it up, if you work in retail, January is a dead month, so finances may not be as great, it's also "End of year" for a lot of retail and various other establishments, and it's also a really sad month.  There isn't another good holiday for awhile (If you're lucky enough to live in Ontario, Alberta or Saskatchewan, you'll probably have Family Day off near the end of February).  

I've been stressing out a lot, working 7 days a week, and not socializing very much.  I'm making more of an attempt to socialize now... I've also been lax about going to the gym, as it's been really busy all of a sudden with New Years Resolutionists, and working 7 days a week for the past month has just made me tired all of the time. 

UNFORTUNATELY this has caused a spike in my blood pressure which is freaking me out a bit.  (It's not overly high, but it's borderline, and I've always prided myself on being normal.... well... my blood pressure being normal at least ;) )

So if you're stressing out, here are some tips to help keep your heart healthy and happy!

#1:  Lower your sodium intake.   This is the first thing any doctor, nurse or nutritionist will likely tell you.  There's a large population of people who are "salt sensitive",  sodium makes their body retain an abnormal amount of water, which causes stress on the heart.  Instead of salt to season things, add herbs and spices, limit or restrict processed foods and salty junk foods (opt for "Low sodium" options if you're a chip junkie- Lays makes them.) When buying anything labelled Low Sodium- watch out for fat content.  A lot of companies will increase fat content to maintain flavour, but it's just as bad for you. 

#2:  Sleep less, exercise more.  Your heart likes sleep... but it also likes exercise.  If you have hypertension or are at risk for it,  you need to make sure you're not oversleeping (lazy heart!) and you need to do cardio!  Don't stress your heart out though, there are studies showing that intense cardio activity can put you at risk for a heart attack (stressed out heart!).  Go for a 30 minute walk, or bike ride, aerobics class, swim, Wii or Playstation Move game, at least 5 times a week (or an hour 3 times a week if 5 times doesn't work with your schedule). 

#3:  Have Fun!! In Chinese Medicine the Heart is linked to Joy.  So spend some time with friends, watch a funny movie, go to a comedy show, whatever makes you happy- set aside some time to do it!

#4:  Relax!   The first 2 days after I found out my blood pressure was high, I was freaking out - and it got higher.   Realize that blood pressure can change a lot within 5 minutes, so don't worry to much, just make a note of it, and make some changes to keep your heart happy.

#5: Herbs and Vitamins:  If you want to go the supplement route, talk to your doctor.  Omega 3s are proven to lower blood pressure and maintain cardiovascular help (It's better in general to take a 3-6-9 together though, 3&6 regulate each other). Hawthorn Berry has been shown to help with cardiovascular conditions, including blood pressure, but it can take up to 2 months before you see effects. 

#6: Stay Hydrated!   Drink adequate amounts of water- limit (or restrict) pop/soda intake.  Your body tells you it's thirsty after you've been thirsty for a long time, so drink water throughout the day to keep your body hydrated and prevent that "I'm thirsty feeling".  Some people don't like the "taste" of water-  add lemon, lime, ginger or mint if you're not down with the flavour (or lack thereof).

I think part of it is that I feel bad for my heart.  If I could give it a hug, I would.  I went through years of anxiety and heart palpitations, I feel my heart should be pampered after all the crap my brain put it through, not stressed!

Here's hoping your heart stays healthy and happy!

 

Happy 2012!

Happy New Year everyone!

Holidays are over for most people.  Did you indulge in December?  (Over indulge?).   A lot of people start January with New Years resolutions to be healthier, lose weight, get fit, eat better, etc etc.

The problem a lot of people have is they start with goals that seem hard to obtain (eg. "I will lose 40lbs this year").   You're more likely to have success if you set obtainable, smaller goals.

"I will lose 5lbs this month" is a lot more realistic of a goal, and you'll feel awesome when you meet that goal, and it will motivate you to continue!

So how are you going to meet your goals?

Here are some simple tips for people who tend to be less than active:

Walk.  This may seem hard in winter, but on nice days, go for a walk!  Even little things like parking at the other side of the shopping centre,  grocery store or at work, or taking the stairs at work. Everything adds up.

Game: Do you have a gaming system? (Wii/Xbox/PS3) Look into active games (Wii Fit, Just Dance, Dance Central, EA Sports etc) and have fun while you get fit!

Youtube!  Youtube has tons of things to try- Tae Bo, Zumba, Dance routines, there's fun, free, videos for everyone of every level.  Clear some space in front of your computer, set your laptop up in an open area, setup youtube on your Wii/Xbox etc, and get moving!

Join a class with a friend: Be it swimming, dance, aerobics or whatever.  If you have someone with you, you'll be more likely to go.


Having trouble curbing those eating habits?
Everyone has things that they love- be it pop/soda, candy, chocolate, chips... whatever your food habit is, there's a way to deal with it.

There's a new(ish) trend going around of eating really healthy for 6 days, then binge eating junk food on the 7th day.  This is really bad for your body.  You're spending one day overloading your system with toxins and chemicals or high fats/carbs, when you typically don't eat it.  It will spike your blood glucose levels and overwork your liver, kidneys, pancreas and gallbladder, just to start.

If you can, start by purchasing "healthier" versions of your favourite snacks (baked chips, organic candy, dark chocolate etc)  If you like the fizziness of pop, try sparkling water.

Snack in small amounts.  Don't binge!:  Most people thrive on smaller meals throughout the day.  It's good to keep your metabolism up, instead of roller coastering it.  This is hard at most jobs, so your best bet is to snack.  Figure out healthy snacks you like- mixed nuts, trail mix, crackers, fruit, veggies, and munch munch munch throughout the day.  You can incorporate your guilty pleasures into the mix as well (have a few chips, or a couple of pieces of candy, or throw some dark chocolate into your trail mix).

If you tend to overindulge in junk food- start by cutting down (most smokers will tell you that cutting things out cold turkey, doesn't usually last).  Drink 5 cans of coke per day?  cut down to 4 the first week, 3 the second week etc.  (Don't switch to diet thinking it's healthier. It's not. I will always advocate more natural things versus chemical things, even if the natural things aren't good for you)

Drink More Water: Drinking water can help curb your appetite to some degree, also staying hydrated is important in general, but moreso when you're working out or eating less than fantastic.  Happy Hydrated Organs work better :)

Most of all, enjoy yourself.  If you're working out and not enjoying yourself, you're less likely to keep with it.  So find things you like doing, try new things, and you're more likely to be successful.  Also don't beat yourself up if you miss a day of exercise or have a bad day of eating.  The more you berate yourself, the harder it will be to get back on track.

Stay Healthy!