Our heart is the organ responsible for pumping blood throughout our body. This function carried out by the heart is what gives the ability to provide the body with oxygen and nutrients needed for our daily functioning. Knowing the importance of the service rendered by our heart it is important to keep this organ functioning in top condition. Keep reading for a few tips for a fit and healthy heart.

Breath

Yes, all of do this 24/7 but it important to once in a way take a few minutes and do it properly. This can be done anywhere and anytime and all that is required is to just take a really deep breath. All you need to do is to take a really deep breath that makes you feel as if all the air is going into your belly. Deep breathing helps reduce stress levels and also improves blood circulation.

Eat heart-healthy

Just like your car’s engine needs gas it is important to Fuel Your Life with the right food for overall wellbeing and also a healthy heart. One great tip is to make your meal colourful. Literally colourful. Try and include a variety of fruits and vegetable to your daily diet. Leafy green vegetables are an excellent source of vitamin K which helps keep the arteries in great condition. Some other foods to include would be whole grains, avocados, walnuts, beans, tomatoes, almonds and even a cup of green tea.

Exercise

Just like we like to lift those weight and pump up our biceps the heart too is a muscle that needs to be exercised as well. We could start off by including a walk into our daily routine. If walking is not your thing maybe you could hop on a treadmill. Swimming is another excellent workout for the heart. Start off with a weekly swim and your heart health could improve dramatically.

Smoking

If you are a smoker, quitting would be immensely helpful for your heart. Smoking causes a fatty build-up in the arteries. This build-up gradually narrows the size of the artery. The smoke also causes a reduction in the amount of oxygen available in the blood. Cutting off the cigarettes completely would be the best option but if not at least try a gradual reduction.

Sleep

It is not clear how exactly sleep benefits the heart but sleep deprivation is said to have negative effects on overall health. It is said that the body’s ability to produce the various chemicals that are beneficial our health is best done when our bodies are at rest. A good tip would be to cut down on tech use such laptops and phones one hour before bedtime. The light emitted from these screens can trick the brain into thinking it is daylight and disrupt our usual sleeping patterns.

Check-up

Finally, it is important to have a medical check-up at least once a year to make sure everything is alright. A check-up would reveal anything unusual relating to blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar levels in the body. Prevention is better than cure but the next best thing would be a detection sooner rather than later.