Posted on: March 4, 2015 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

doctor drawing a heart shape

Your heart keeps you alive moment-to-moment, but it can also kill you quickly when it falters: Heart disease is the top killer of Americans. But four out of five cases of heart disease don’t have to happen and you can take control of your heart health.

Cardiologists at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., have come up with a program they call the “Eat 5, Move 10, Sleep 8” program. According to these experts, some simple alterations to your lifestyle can keep you from being a heart disease victim.

The program focuses on four aspects of day-today-life you can modify to protect your cardiovascular system:

Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. These foods contain important phytonutrients that protect the heart. Plus, by eating these foods, you may eat fewer processed foods that can increase your heart disease risk.

Get some exercise every day. All you have to do to help your heart is move for an extra 10 minutes a day (although more exercise than that will help even more). The Mayo doctors point out that being sedentary is as bad for your health as smoking. They also urge everyone to do less sitting and more standing.

Get at least eight hours of sleep a night. Sufficient sleep is an absolute necessity for a healthy heart.

Make sure you take time to enjoy your life. Indulge in satisfying activities that are joyful. A positive attitude helps your heart stay in top shape and is just as influential on your cardiovascular system as genetics and healthy habits.

Source link







Leave a Reply