Healthy Ways to Prevent Heart Disease

Now that you have started implementing your New Year's Resolution, it is time to start thinking about keeping your heart nice and healthy. February is American National Heart Month and a perfect time for Americans to consider making minor daily changes in keeping your heart healthy. Over the years I have used these eight steps to keep me on track and most importantly, healthy.

Know your family history, it is important to know as much about your family medical history as possible. My family has a history of strokes and heart attacks and I have kept a medical journal that documents each family member and any health illnesses. I have two children and have made two journals that I plan to pass down to them when they get older.

Get an annual physical. We all get caught up in our daily routine and sometimes are so busy taking care of others that we neglect to take care of ourselves. I schedule my annual physical around my birthday and it is my present to myself. Remember, we can not take care of our loved ones if we are not healthy. If you are in your late 30's or mid 40's, you need to be proactive and talk to you doctor about a stress to test for your heart or an ultrasound that can pick up any abnormalities. The key here is to educate yourself and be comfortable to approach your doctor.

Examine your current diet. Make simple switches to your diet by replacing butter with olive oil or canola oil. Consume higher levels of Omega 3 fatty acids as they are extremely heart healthy. For vegetarians, you may supplement with Golden flaxseed oil. Replace processed foods with whole grains, fruits, nuts and steamed vegetables. Take your multivitamins and add some COq10 to help those heart muscles do there job efficiently. In addition, we all bring lunch from home with a bit of planning, quick, easy, healthy and tasty lunches can be prepared and you save quite a bit of money as well.

Find windows of opportunities to exercise. I take the stairs at work instead of the elevator and walk up the escalator instead of standing. I squeeze in some jumping jacks and toe touches while I am making dinner. I play a few rounds of boxing on the Wii with my children. Most importantly, I only watch television while I am walking on my treadmill. These are small ways to add physical activity to what would otherwise be a stagnant use of time. It is amazing where you can squeeze in a few motions to boost the heart rate.

Following some or all of the tips mentioned can help you maintain a healthy heart. Healthy Living is Happy Living so make one new heart healthy habit everyday.