February is American Heart Month, so use it to think about what you can do for your heart health.
The hearts of Valentine’s Day aren’t just brought you by Hallmark. The heart shape has a non-V-Day related meaning this month because February is American Heart Month! In honor of this commemoration, it’s time to evaluate the heart-healthiness of your lifestyle. Here are a few things you should be doing to help your body’s most important muscle.
- Stop smoking. This probably seems like a no-brainer, but we really can’t emphasize enough how important this life change is for your overall health, including your heart. Quitting isn’t easy, so get your friends and family involved and adjust your daily routine to make sneaking that single cigarette a challenge.
- Eat better. At this point, we all know what we should be eating: non-processed, whole, organic food. If you’re not ready to make the full leap aboard the Whole Foods train, try starting with little swaps. Choose Greek yogurt instead of your morning bagel, or swap out one soda for water. Over time, these small changes make a big difference. Also, cut back on your sodium intake. Try adding spices rather than salt to flavor your food (trust us, there’s already enough salt in what we eat!).
- Get moving. Your heart is a muscle and, like any others, it needs to be strengthened. You do this by using it, and you put your heart to work when you’re active. If you’re leading a sedentary lifestyle right now, try adding a 30-minute walk to your lunch break each day. By simply putting one foot in front of the other, you’re doing your heart a major favor.
Is your heart doing well? If you’re not sure, you should head to your doctor and leverage your health insurance to make that visit affordable. If you have questions about how to use your policy to keep your ticker in top shape, contact Nahai Insurance Services.