The Philippine Online Chronicles

There’s more to February than Valentine’s Day. The ‘season of love’ also happens to be the National Heart Month.  Amidst the flowers, chocolates, gifts and romantic candlelight dinners is something that we often take for granted– our heart.

The heart is one of the most vital organs in the body. It keeps us alive as it pumps the blood throughout the body. The state of our heart greatly affects our well-being. An ailing heart makes the body weak and prone to diseases. Thus, we can safely say that the heart needs love and care too.

It’s about time we give our heart the care it truly deserves. A healthy heart can help you live better and longer. Inactivity can make an individual prone to heart disease. Regular exercise, good diet and a positive attitude can help keep your heart strong and healthy.

Here are some simple activities that can help promote a healthy heart. You might be surprised how easy most of them are. You might even find some activities fun and pleasurable to do.

Heart-healthy habits:

• Eat a Healthy Diet– Make it a habit to eat more fruits and vegetables every day. Choose the lean parts when having meat or poultry.  Take it easy on the sweets. Desserts are tempting but remember to restrain yourself from having too much sugar. Limit the proportions of fat that you consume.  Too much sugar is bad for the health and the same goes for salt. Limit your intake of salty foods. Avoid too much saturated fats and trans fats as much as possible because they increase the risk of coronary disease.

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day – You might think it’s funny but it’s true! As a matter of fact, some researchers say that brushing your teeth at least twice a day can actually lessen the chances of acquiring heart disease.

According to Hows Health.com, some researchers claim that the frequency of toothbrushing may be significant to avoid heart disease.  People who brush their teeth twice a day have 70% lower risk of experiencing inflammation that can result to clogged arteries and heart disease as opposed to those who only brush their teeth once day or not at all.

• Walk the dog – If you have a pet dog, then walking is a perfect exercise for you.  Take daily walks with your dog.  The exercise will be good for you and your pet. After all, your dog needs some physical activity too in order to remain healthy. Think of it as “killing two birds with one stone.”

• Take the stairs – Taking the elevator or the escalator is definitely easier, faster and more convenient. If you’re not in a hurry, why not take the stairs for a change?  Just think that one or two flight of stairs can be considered as your exercise for the day. For all you know, you might find yourself eager to take additional flight of stairs next time.

• Brisk walking – If you want a simple exercise that can make you perspire, then try brisk walking. You don’t have to go to the gym to enjoy the health benefits of brisk walking.  You can do it even without a treadmill.  Simply walk around your village, at the park, around the campus or on the sidewalks along the street.

Remember to take longer steps than normal and walk at a faster pace. Walk with your body erect with shoulders back and breathe deeply as you go along. Allow your arms to sway freely at your sides as you walk. It’s best to have a pair of good walking shoes.

If you’re not used to brisk walking, it’s a good idea to take it slowly. Start with short walks for a few days. You can start with 15-minute walks. Once your body has adjusted to the routine, you can slowly lengthen the time and pace after several days. From 15 minutes you can adjust your walk to 30 minutes or longer.

For those ready for advance walking, you can make your walking routine more challenging by carrying along light hand-held weights. You can also choose a new route that will require more effort from you, like an uphill slope.

• Household chores – You might not be aware of it but cleaning your home can actually be good for the body.  Mopping the floor or vacuuming areas around the house on a regular basis can be good forms of exercise.  While you’re at it, might as well put on your favorite upbeat CD and shake those hips as you clean your home.   Other good forms of exercises are mowing the lawn, gardening and raking the leaves in your yard.

• Play with the family – Gather the family and enjoy some physical games.  There are many fun games that can promote strength, flexibility and endurance.  Take advantage of the good weather by playing Frisbee outside or a simple game of tag.

You can play video games if the weather is not on your side. The latest video game consoles Wii and Play Station Move require you to use actual body movements while playing.  You can have a good work out playing virtual tennis on Wii or virtual table tennis on PlayStation Move.  It’s almost like playing the real thing. Technology has indeed come a long way.

• Engage in a sport - Try out some sports that you find interesting and choose at least one that you enjoy doing. Some examples of sport activities that you might like to try are swimming, volleyball, basketball, soccer, golf, tennis and badminton.

Playing regular sports such as badminton can help reduce low-density lipoproteins (LDL) bad cholesterol and increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) good cholesterol.  Lowering bad cholesterol can lower risk of heart attacks and strokes.

• Control your anger –Getting angry is a normal emotion but sometimes intense anger can be bad for the body.  When you get angry, your heart rate and blood pressure elevate.  When you feel your anger rising, breathe deeply and try counting one to ten. Or you can say a calm word or phrase like “relax” or “take it easy” repeatedly until the anger mellows down.

• Avoid smoking and too much alcohol – It is a known fact that smoking and drinking excessively can be bad for the heart. It’s not easy to quit smoking but it is possible. Determination is the key. Limit your alcohol intake as much as possible.

• Meditate – Meditating can actually improve a person’s blood pressure and heart rate. According to msnbc.com,  doing meditation has the ability to change a range of body functions including “respiration, blood vessel dilation and stress-hormone regulation.” Such effects can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

• De-stress – There are many factors that can cause undue stress to a person such as issues at home, school or work.  The best way to fight stress is by giving your mind and body time to relax.  Leave the stress behind by getting some time off from work, hanging out with friends or better yet give your body the pampering it deserves (e.g. a trip to the salon or spa).  A good rest can do wonders for the best.  Rest can help rejuvenate both the body and the mind.

• Sleep well – Enjoying 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night can make your heart healthier. Lack of sleep can lead to worse cases of blood pressure and cholesterol which can increase risk of heart disease and stroke.

• Be happy – We all have our share of ups and downs but keeping a positive attitude can help us overcome problems, worries and trials that we encounter along the road of life.

According to WebMD, a research was conducted to study the “impact of positive personality traits like happiness, contentment, and enthusiasm on heart disease risk.”  Based on the results of the test, people who have high negative emotions are more prone to heart disease while the individuals who garnered high points for happiness had lowest risk of acquiring the disease.

Try to keep a happy disposition in life.  Think of happy thoughts, smile and laugh more often to have a healthier heart.

Rachel Yapchiongco, also known as Rach to her friends, is a Psychology and Marketing Management graduate of De La Salle University.  She took up several units of MBA at the same university.  Rachel is a full-time mom to a charming young boy and married to an entrepreneur with a passion for cooking. She shares parenting experiences and slices of everyday life on her personal blog called Heart of Rachel.