Happy Heart, Happy Life

The heart is the most important part of the body. It pumps blood through the entire body, supplies nutrients and oxygen to tissue and removes carbon dioxide and other wastes. Such an important organ deserves a little more attention every now and then. Here are a few ways to check that your heart is healthy and ways to keep it that way for a happier you.

Heart Healthy Foods

Diet is a great place to start. Next time you’re out pick up one of the following food; berries, salmon, tuna, trout, oatmeal, beans/legumes, kale, spinach, broccoli, dark chocolate (70% or higher in cocoa), almonds, walnuts and pistachios. All of these contain antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, flavanols, and polyunsaturated fatty acids- all of which help strengthen your heart. Try to avoid soda, refined carbohydrates such as ketchup and salad dressing, and any fried fast and processed foods. These all increase your chance of developing cardiovascular disease.

Track Resting Heart Rate

Being aware of your resting heart rate is a good way of determining cardiovascular health, fitness level, and can alert you to any issues. A normal and healthy resting heart rate is anywhere between 60-100 beats per minute. The lower the number, the healthier the heart, and the longer the lifespan. Not happy with your number? In addition to eating the above foods, experts say at least 30 minutes of moderate to intense exercise can help improve cardiovascular health.

Tip: Wearing a fitness tracker that also monitors heart rate is a great way to see what your current heart rate is and how it improves over time.

Heart Healthy Profile

Partaking in a heart healthy profile is one of the most accurate ways to assess the well-being of your  heart. This can be done with your private doctor or here at Cover-Tek! At Cover-Tek, we offer an assessment of triglycerides, cholesterol counts and other indicators of heart disease.

To sum it up, diet, exercise and regular heart assessments are three great places to start when determining your heart’s happiness. Having a healthy heart means a longer and happier life and who wouldn’t want that!