Every year, 29th September is celebrated as World Heart Day. But this organ in your body, that is ever-symbolic of love and care, needs much more attention than just that one day in a year.
Your heart is one of the most important muscles in your body, and also the one that works the hardest. So it is important that you take good care of it.
5 Everyday Habits To Keep Your Heart Healthy
Here are 5 things you can do on a daily basis to make sure your heart is happy and healthy.
1. Red Red Love
Most red food items are great for your heart, and it includes pomegranate, strawberries, watermelon, cranberries, tomatoes, red grapes and even chili peppers! The red colour in these foods comes from lycopene, and they also contain something known as flavonoids. Both lycopene and flavonoids are antioxidants that help keep your cells healthy and prevent any damage, and also prevent heart diseases.
2. Get Up And Sit Less
If you spend most of your day sitting, you are directly affecting your heart in a bad way. It is important to get regular exercise in your everyday routine, but other than that, you also have to make sure that you don’t spend the remaining time seated. The more you move and avoid sitting, the healthier it will be for your heart. Take regular breaks between sitting, get up, take a small walk in the room or a quick jog and get back to your chair again.
3. Take Care Of Oral Hygiene
This may seem really unrelated, but in reality, your overall dental hygiene will also indicate how well and healthy your heart is. When you develop bacteria in the mouth, it can lead to various gum diseases that can mix up in your bloodstream and lead to inflammation in your blood vessels. When that happens, your chances of getting affected with various heart diseases increase, and that also includes a high probability of stroke.
4. Mind The Sleep
You’ve heard this over and over again, and never really followed, so yes, let us remind you once again, that getting at least 8 to 10 hours of sleep is very crucial for you. Those who regularly get less than 6 hours of sleep are at double the risk of a heart attack as compared to those who get between 6 to 8 hours of sleep. Switch off your gadgets and try to get off screen at least 1 to 2 hours prior to your bedtime, to avoid distractions and get better sleep.
5. Spice It Up
Adding herbs and spices to your regular meals can go a long way in keeping your heart healthy. Spices such as turmeric, cinnamon, clove, garlic, basil, thyme and even rosemary have a good amount of antioxidants that will all help to prevent various diseases associated with your heart.
