Give your heart some tlc

 A conscious effort to to take care of your heart health has many long time benefits. The cardiovascular system has the awesome responsibility of transporting oxygen to cells in the body. Healthy food choices and fitness helps to maintain proper heart health. 

1. Change your salt and decrease the amount. 

Often we will hear doctors advise to reduce our sodium intake. Try changing your salt altogether. Instead of using common table salt use Himalayan Pink Salt instead. This salt is not only higher in minerals; the amount needed for seasoning food is less. A teaspoon of common salt can become 1/2 teaspoon of Himalayan Pink Salt. 

    2.   Drink herbal tea daily.
Not only is a cup of herbal refreshing hot or cold, certain herbal tea blends help the body with excess fluids in the body. Excess fluid causes high blood pressure and many other concerns. Fig Leaf Tea helps to improve circulation, drain fluid from around the heart as well as regulate the system. Many herbals teas help balance the system and is a safe, side effect free alternative from prescription medication.

    3.  Exercise often.
The lymphatic system requires activity such as exercise to work effectively. Brisk walking is a great exercise of choice and yoga works very well with circulation, flexibility as well as being a more gentler exercise.  Its great to workout at least three times a week. 15 minutes of exercise in the morning, provides a great way to get the body in full physical gear for the day ahead. ​

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      4.  Stay hydrated. 
Staying hydrated is imperative for good heart health. Your organs, muscles, cells need a substantial amount of water to function properly. When our bodies are not properly hydrated with water, dehydration quickly sets in. Besides are lips and skin being dry, are bodily functions and flushing of toxins begin to slow down. Various fruits and vegetables contain high amounts of water such as oranges and cucumbers (read more about staying hydrated in this blog post). It's important to remember that fluid requirements vary under different conditions such as exercise, illness, fever, and hot and humid environments. In these cases, more water consumption is required. 

Having a daily water goal is a great way to make sure that you consume a balanced amount of water each day. How can you determine your minimal daily amount? Multiply your current body weight by point 5 (.5) then divide by 8. We use eight since that's the standard glass size. The answer will be rounded out to the highest number. Now you can easily count how many 8-ounce glasses of water to consume. Read more on proper daily water intake here.

 Example: 140 x .5 = 70.  Alright, we have 70 ounces of water for the day. Now divide the 70 by 8. Don't forget to round out the number! Voila` our number of glasses is 9.  

When drinking fluids, water is always best to make sure you're hydrated properly. Avoid sugary drinks especially drinks sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup causes bloating, water retention and confuses the body's signals for appetite along with other health concerns associated with long-term consumption. 

      5.  Snack healthy.
Snacking can be a convenient.. However, unless you have gotten into the rhythm of daily, healthy eating, snacking may not be a delight. To avoid impulse snack shopping, plan ahead and prepare snacks to have in hand's reach. Don't wait until the opportunity strikes, be ready! 

• Buckwheat: A great source of protein. Buckwheat is suitable for maintaining high cholesterol and high blood pressure when consumed regularly. 
• Blueberries: Awesome alone or in a smoothie, blueberries provide vitamins, anti-oxidants and insoluble and soluble fiber. Blueberries helps maintain good cardiovascular health. 
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Most popular as old folks remedy, ACV helps with high cholesterol, lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease and stiffness in the body. Take 2 tablespoons of ACV three times a day along with nutrition and exercise changes.
• Sock-eye Salmon: This is specifically for my healthy eaters that still eat animal protein. A great source of omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is a great dish twice a week to help fight against cardiovascular disease. Wild salmon has more nutrients that farm raised salmon. 

 Eat healthy. You only have one body. 

Blessings