It seems that pink and red hearts are popping up all over the place. Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching and the stores seem to be filling with thoughts of chocolate, stuffed animals, and little note cards saying, “Be Mine.”
Aside from being the month of love, February is also Heart Health Awareness Month.
Cardiac disease is the number one killer of women. Fortunately, there are SO many things you can do to help prevent cardiac disease and reduce your risk of heart problems. I’m going to give you four things to help keep your heart beating strong.
(Watch: 9 Surprising Fitness Myths.)
#1: Eat heart healthy foods.
Eating healthy foods is a great way to not only feel better but also to help our hearts be stronger. Try adding in more fruits and veggies, whole grains, and healthy fats — like advacado, olive oil, and nuts.
#2: Get your heart pumpin’.
Cardiovascular or Aerobic exercise is key for keeping your heart in tip-top shape. Anything that gets your heart beating faster makes it stronger. Try walking, hiking, running, cycling, swimming, dancing, or circuit training.
#3: Be nice.
It seems simple, but doing nice things for other people can actually help your heart. Why? Doing good things helps us feel better and reduce stress. Less stress = better heart health. So grab this fruit of the Spirit and remember, a little kindness goes a long way!!
(Read: Real Talk: Why I’m a Personal Trainer & I Still Hate the Scale.)
#4: Chillax.
Yet another way to reduce stress — chill out. Try prayer, meditation, reading your Bible, reading a novel, or listen to some relaxing music. And put your phone down! Calming our mind and focusing only on the task we are doing (also called mindfulness) has been proven to lower our stress levels, in turn, helping our hearts (and brains, but more on that later 😉).
There are lots of ways to keep your heart beating strong. Hopefully, these give you a few ideas to get you started. For more information or ideas, check out: https://healthyforgood.heart.org.
(Watch: How to Start Practicing Mindfulness.)
ALSO CHECK OUT: 5 workout moves to help keep your heart healthy. You can watch & learn, or even throw on your sneakers and follow along!!
How are you keeping your heart healthy??
Take a picture, post and tag, and then put your phone down and enjoy your #happyheart activities! ❤️
Amanda Mercer is a personal trainer and fitness presenter who loves ALL things active and competitive. Chances are good, if you see her, she’ll be in workout clothes (always matching of course) and either running, biking or lifting. Her goal is to help you strengthen the fearfully and wonderfully made person that YOU ALREADY ARE and recognize that fitness and faith together will help you not only feel better but also be even more successful in all that you do. For more workout ideas, follow her blog & Instagram!
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Tiffany Dawn 
Excellent article!!
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So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
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