February 7, 2021: Your Heart
My weekly Get Your Stuff Together Sunday email series gives you one actionable focus for the week that will make your life a little easier.
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When you think of February, what comes to mind? Chocolate? Roses? Love? February is heart health month, the one inside you, not the cardboard one with candy in it. This week, we’re going to talk about taking stock of the health of your heart and what you can do to make it even healthier.
The facts
If you ask typical Americans what disease they fear most, they will likely say cancer. And cancer is a deadly disease, killing hundreds of thousands of people each year. But there is a killer even more prevalent than cancer: heart disease. According to the CDC, heart disease is the number one killer in America. In fact, more women die from heart disease than all forms of cancer combined! Though men are 2-5 times more likely to have coronary heart disease than premenopausal women, once women reach menopause, our risk is similar to a man’s. Yikes.
But now for the good news. Heart disease is nearly 95% preventable! Yes, preventable!
Are you taking care of your heart?
There are three key components to heart health: nutrition, blood sugar level, and exercise. When these areas are monitored and kept in check, you can drastically reduce your chances of ever having heart disease.
Nutrition - What you eat (or do not eat) directly impacts your cardiovascular health. One way to help your heart by way of your mouth is to eat plenty of leafy greens. Leafy greens contain a rich supply of the amino acid L-arginine - the building block of nitric oxide.
Blood Sugar Level - Your blood sugar level is a measure of how much glucose is circulating in your bloodstream and is directly related to the amount of simple carbohydrates that you consume. Certain foods such as sugar, white flour and white rice cause spikes in blood sugar. Here’s how you can keep your blood glucose levels in check:
Eat a diet that focuses on lean proteins, plenty of vegetables, some fruit, and nuts. Limit sugar, white rice, and refined flours.
Be sure to exercise several times a week; intense exercise helps to drive glucose out of your blood and into your muscles where it can be used for energy.
Exercise - Finally, exercise is a critical part of having a healthy heart. The benefits of a good cardiovascular training routine are pretty obvious, but what many don’t realize is how important strength training is for heart health. Strength training not only builds muscle and helps keep your weight down; it also makes your heart stronger so it does not have to work as hard to supply your body with life-giving oxygen.
The health of your heart is largely up to you and the choices that you make in regards to nutrition, blood sugar and exercise. This February, make a decision to take care of your heart!
Next Sunday, we’ll talk about self love and acceptance - just in time for Valentine's Day!
Want some expert help with reaching your health goals painlessly? Check out my programs! We’ll get everything taken care of in a way that fits into your current lifestyle so you never have to think about your health again.
Do you have a friend who could stand to G(her)ST? Feel free to forward this!
I hope you have a wonderful week,
Kelly
Kelly Morgan, Ph.D.
Tsirona - www.tsirona.com
My weekly GYSTS email give you one actionable thing to do for the week that will make you life a little easier. As "they" say, "Fail to plan; plan to fail." Get these emails (and more!) delivered right to your inbox by clicking HERE.