Welcome back to our blog page here at Stockton Cardiology! Whether you’re in need of heart health services for congenital heart disease, intervention for coronary artery disease, transcatheter aortic valve replacement, chest pain, peripheral vascular disease, or any other heart condition, you can’t go wrong when you reach out to your Stockton heart health team at Stockton Cardiology! Contact us today to set up an appointment.
In part one of our blog series on the value of taking care of your heart, we discussed the importance of the heart in the human body and the value of caring for it. We also learned about some of the best foods to eat for the purpose of enjoying a healthy heart. Taking care of your heart can not only improve your quality of life now, it can also add years to your life as you age.
In today’s blog post, we’re going to look at practical ways in which you can actively start taking better care of your heart now. Let’s learn more ways to be good stewards of our hearts.
More Great Ways to Care For Your Heart
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Exercise
Studies have shown that one of the best ways to keep heart disease and other heart issues at bay is to keep up with your regular exercise routine. The American Heart Association suggests that adults get at least 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise at least five times per week or 25 minutes of extremely vigorous activity three times per week. Obviously, when it comes to getting up and moving, the more, the merrier. Simply check with your heart doctor to make sure that your heart is healthy enough for your desired physical activity before you start.
If you haven’t made time for exercise and you don’t see where you can fit it in, do everything you can to rearrange your schedule because this is a physical health benefit that you can’t skip. Go on a walk during your lunch break, wake up 30 minutes earlier for a morning jog, or make some time in between errands after work. No matter how you have to rearrange your routine, you won’t regret taking this time to take care of your heart. And trust us, it will pay off in the long run.
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Drink More Water
In the case of a healthy, well-hydrated adult, over half of the body weight consists of water. That means that in order to maintain healthy bodily functions, we need to drink plenty of water. A lack of water will not only cause dizziness, confusion, and seizures, dehydration can also contribute to major health problems like the shutting down of major organs and weakening of bodily functions.
Though most of us grew up hearing the “eight glasses of water per day” rule, that isn’t necessarily the best rule for everyone. According to WebMD, men should drink at least 13 cups and women should drink nine cups of water per day. While this is a rough estimate, factors like pregnancy, the amount that one sweats, the temperature outside, and the consistency and frequency of bowel movements can cause these numbers to change. Additionally, as a rule, the bigger a person is, the more water they’ll need to drink each day.
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Stop Smoking
Smoking is one of the strongest ways to negatively affect your heart. Smoking raises your chances of developing heart disease and other heart problems because it damages the lining of the arteries, leading to a buildup of fatty material that narrows the arteries. Because of the havoc that it wreaks on our hearts, smokers are at a greater risk for heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes. If you’re a smoker, no matter how long you’ve been doing it, there’s never been a better time to quit — your heart will thank you.
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Visit Your Local Cardiologist!
Is it possible to eat the healthiest diet full of nutritious food, exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, drink enough water, and still suffer from heart problems? Absolutely. For that reason, we recommend getting regular check-ups so that if a problem arises, you’ll be able to nip it in the bud.
If you’re ready to make an appointment with your Stockton Cardiologist, contact us today at Stockton Cardiology. Whether you’re dealing with heart issues or you simply want to rule out anything serious, we’re the best team of heart experts and we’d love to see you! Make an appointment at our Stockton heart clinic now!