It is February, the month of hearts. We express, give, share, profess, and even commit our love to others yet most of us neglect (and abuse!) that very part of us where love resides — our heart. The heart is the all-important machine that rules our lives. It regulates our heartbeat and blood flow, and controls virtually every biological process in our body. Your heart deserves more attention and care than you normally give it. If you take good care of your heart, it will take good care of you. How do you love your heart? Let us count the ways:
• Eat more veggies. Your mother has always been right when she demanded that you eat your vegetables. A vegetarian diet does not have any of the unhealthy elements, like fat, and cholesterol present in carnivorous diets. Think about it: Cows, carabaos, buffalos and horses feed mainly on grass yet they are some of the strongest and most powerful animals. Add fruits and nuts to your diet and you’ll be in better health and shape.
• Eat more fish. Medical researchers studying the health of different world populations noticed the remarkably low incidence of coronary heart disease among Eskimos and Japanese living in fishing villages on the sea. Although they ate fatty fish, fish oil, and whale blubber, they had high levels of HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol — the good kind of cholesterol — and omega — fatty acids which reduce the tendency for blood to clot, lessening the chances of heart attacks and strokes.
• Exercise and lose some weight. If you are lugging around a few tons every day, your heart will most likely be burdened. It’s like being a weightlifter who never puts down his heavy barbells, and that can surely be tiring. Find out your ideal weight and work towards achieving it. Exercise builds up your strength, flexibility, and endurance. Not only will you look trim and sexy, your heart will thank you profusely, too.
• Add more fiber to your diet. In a study of 20 developed nations, the Japanese, who are the highest consumers of dietary fiber, were found to have the lowest rate of heart disease deaths. Fiber does its work in the intestines, where it binds cholesterol so it can’t be absorbed, and causes ingested food to move through the tract more quickly so there is less time for cholesterol and fats to be absorbed. Oats, bran, apples (because of their pectin), eggplants, and commercial fiber preparations help ramrod cholesterol out of the system and prevent constipation.
• Eat more spicy foods. Strange as it may seem, spicing up your food is good for your heart. Medical researchers in Thailand have found that hot peppers (capsicum) cause an increase in fibrinolytic activity, a natural process that helps resist the formation of large and dangerous blood clots by dissolving them while they are still small. Garlic and onions in your diet also stimulate fibrinolytic activity and help reduce elevated cholesterol levels.
• Walk, don’t run. For those who prefer low-impact exercise and lesser exertion, walking is just as good as jogging. It can alter cholesterol and sugar levels, lower blood pressure, and help you lose weight. And it can be done leisurely, and needs no exercise machines or special outfits. Want to add a little excitement to your walk? Briskly go up hilly streets or climb up and down flights of stairs!
• Supplement your diet. Take multivitamins to increase your resistance and endurance. Four super supplements for the heart are lecithin, chromium (usually from Brewer’s yeast), calcium, and magnesium. Vitamins A, C, and E are tops for a stronger, healthier heart. Vitamin B6, found in whole grains, bananas, peanuts, tomatoes, poultry, and salmon, reduces the tendency of blood to become excessively sticky.
• Eliminate these negatives. Stop smoking and avoid secondhand smoke (fumes from someone smoking near you). Cut down on animal fats and bad cholesterol. Minimize salt and monosodium glutamate (MSG) in your diet. Regulate your sugar intake from those sinful pastries, saccharine juices, and drinks. Control drinking alcoholic beverages. Go easy on coffee and cream. Avoid going on unhealthy crash diets. Don’t eat heavy meals late at night.
• Avoid stress or learn to cope with it. Stress is a major cause of heart disease. Lessen your anger and learn to release internal tension by relaxing or losing yourself in something you enjoy doing. Make time for recreation, learn a hobby or take up a sport. Involvement in a community or religious endeavor is refreshing for the spirit. Learn to integrate your body and soul for a holistically healthier you.
• Love and be loved. Just as we need air, food, clothing and shelter, we all need tender loving care. In a laboratory study, TLC was found to dramatically reduce arteriosclerosis. Absence of love, laughter, and affection greatly disintegrates one’s well-being. Coronary heart disease was found highest in lonely, socially isolated individuals. Personal relationships, group affiliation, and service to others nurture the heart just as good nutrition, healthy habits, and stress-free living can. The heart’s main ecstasy is to give love, but it needs to receive love to survive, too.
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