5 Easy Steps to Better Heart Health

Now is a good time to discuss Heart Health. "Heart disease" covers a multitude of medical problems like High Blood Pressure, Stroke, High Cholesterol, Heart Attack - the good new is that it's preventable. Taking care of your body is important if you want to enjoy every bit of this wonderful life we're living.

Here are my tips for healthier hearts.

1. Eat Grapes - yes, grapes!

Eating foods rich in polyphenols (naturally occurring plant compounds known to have antioxidant activity) helps reduce the risk of heart disease, according to a review article in the November, 2008, issue of Nutrition Research. Grape seeds, grape skin, and grape juice contain polyphenols. The report concludes that grape polyphenols can help to slow or prevent cell damage. In particular, these compounds help decrease LDL ("bad" cholesterol). Preventing cell damage is an important step in deterring the development of atherosclerosis. They also can reduce abnormal heart rhythms, and lower blood pressure. All this from the mighty little grape.

2. Eat Slower. When you eat, take the time to really savor each mouthful. Research has proven that it takes about 20 minutes for the signal from your stomach to reach your brain and tell it you are full. People who eat fast tend to over-eat and gain more weight and it's tough on your heart to carry around that extra weight.

3. Walking is an exercise that just about everyone can do and it's one of the best ways to prevent a host of diseases that can attack your body when it's inactive. Don't forget to breathe deeply when you walk. The combination of deep, full breaths and exercise will send fresh, oxygenated blood throughout your body making all the organs, glands and muscles healthier and happier. If you like walking but can't stand the cold, get a few friends together and join or start a "mall walking group".

4. Laugh often. Laughter truly is the best medicine. Watch a funny movie, listen to Bill Cosby or attend a laughing meditation. Laughter is a gentle type of exercise which fills your lungs, organs, glands and muscles with fresh, oxygenated blood. We've become a nation of shallow breathers and our bodies are starving for oxygen. When we laugh, an amazing concoction of hormones is released. These hormones help reduce blood pressure, give our immune systems a nice boost, reduce stress levels and make us feel good. Laughing just 10 minutes a day can decrease risk of heart disease by 10%. Studies have shown that children laugh at least 40 minutes a day, but adults less than 12. Let's turn our funny bones back on!

5. Deep Relaxation is the best way to completely rest both your mind and your body which is also important for reducing stress and improving heart health. I recommend sitting on the floor with your hip right up next to a wall. Then slide your body down to the floor while you slide your legs up against the wall. Your buttocks will be touching the wall and your back is flat on the floor. This exercise (called legs up the wall) helps relieve headaches, improves metabolism, rests your lower back, and because gravity is now bringing the blood back to your heart from your feet, your heart is also getting a nice little break. It doesn't have to work so hard. Breathe Deeply and remain in this relaxing position for at least 5 minutes. You can listen to a guided meditation if you'd like. This helps to keep your thoughts away from what you have to do next and in to relaxing your body.