It’s not the first time you’ve heard that your health is the most important thing to you, and it’s so true. It has to be your primary concern in life. It includes so many factors, like managing stress, being physically active, doing check-ups regularly and having a healthy diet, among other things. Little healthy habits make up a healthy person. And what are those healthy habits, exactly?
Make a distinction between healthy and unhealthy fats
Healthy fats can be found in vegetables, seeds, nuts, and fish. You shouldn’t avoid healthy fats. They decrease the risk of cardiovascular diseases and lower your bad cholesterol. On the other hand, you should avoid bad fats by cutting on spreads, sauces, dressings and fried food as much as you can. So, not all fats are bad – you actually need some of them.
Fight a sedentary lifestyle
If you work on a computer a lot, watch television frequently or even like reading a lot, you may experience the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle. Even if you exercise on a regular basis, this lifestyle can still lead to cardiovascular diseases. So, you need to be more active in your free time. It’s not just about working out 3 times a week. What you should do is add movement to your everyday activities. If you work long hours on the computer, stretch your legs as often as possible. More precisely, you should stand up every 30 minutes if you’re working at a desk and do a 5-minute physical exercise every hour.
Enjoy alcohol in moderation
Unless you’re told differently by your doctor, you don’t have to avoid alcohol at all costs. Drinking alcohol in moderation can help you raise good cholesterol. It can also prevent blood clots and damages in your arteries. Red wine is particularly beneficial for your heart – 1 glass a day is perfectly fine for women, while men can have 2 glasses. Too much alcohol may damage your liver, while some forms of cancer are related to excessive consumption of alcohol.
Get active in the bedroom
Yup, being active in the bedroom is good for your health, especially your heart. People who are active in this area of life often have lower blood pressure and a lower risk of heart diseases. Certain research has suggested that the lack of this activity is associated with a higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
Do regular checkups
Many people are very irresponsible when it comes to checkups at their doctor’s. We all know what checkups we need to do on an annual basis or even less frequent than that but we still don’t do it. These modern, stressful times cause many serious illnesses and chronic diseases. Developed countries are no exception – for example, cardiovascular diseases are a major health problem in England, Germany, the US, and Australia. Many of these countries are trying to motivate their citizens to check their cardiovascular system at regular intervals. Every Perth or Sydney specialist cardiologist in Down Under will highlight the importance of a healthy heart to every patient. That’s what cardiologists in other developed countries are doing, too. Don’t wait until you have major health issues before you go to see a specialist.
Give up smoking and avoid secondhand smoking
You already know that smoking is damaging to your health. At some point, you’ll have to give up all your buts and ifs and do your best to get rid of that nasty habit. While it damages your lungs and throat, it also damages your arteries and heart. Coronary heart diseases are frequently caused by smoking, which ultimately can lead to a heart attack. Fatty substances that build up in your arteries due to smoking can also lead to death at some point. Even secondhand smoking is associated with cardiovascular diseases. So make your home no-smoking area and avoid places where smoking is allowed.
Sleep, sleep, sleep
When you sleep, your body lowers your blood pressure and heart rate. Whenever you lack sleep, you have deprived your body of relaxation and increased the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Sleep is essential for so many reasons – it helps you relieve stress, which consequently lowers your blood pressure. It helps your body recover and it energizes you so that you are able to be active throughout the day, as you should.
Final words
You only have one body so it’s your obligation to keep it healthy and strong. By developing healthy habits you’ll stick to, you will ensure a long, fulfilled life.
