Our hearts are what keep us alive, but sadly, many of us don’t take as good of care of our hearts as we should. In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death in America, according to the CDC.

We all know that getting COVID-19 under control and maintaining the proper health-safety protocols is of extreme important right now, but it’s also important to focus on your heart health! Read on as our team at AFC Urgent Care Spring Hill highlights ways to keep your heart healthy.

What Should I Do to Keep My Heart Healthy?

It’s simple: Maintain a healthy diet and exercise often. Filling your diet with fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, lean proteins and legumes gives your body the antioxidants, vitamins and nutrients it needs to run properly.

As for exercise, the CDC recommends exercising for at least 150 minutes a week. This doesn’t mean intense exercise, either. Moderate exercise, such as jogging, weight-lifting or anything that increases your heart rate, is great for your heart and overall health.

Other Benefits of Heart-Healthy Diet and Exercise

• Helps you maintain a healthy weight
• Lowers cholesterol levels
• Boosts your immune system
• Improves your mood and self-esteem
• Reduces stress levels
• Improves sleep quality

What Else Boosts Heart Health?

A good diet and exercise aren’t the only things that are good for your heart!

Frankly, any good habit is going to be helpful for your overall health, but cardiologists recommend the things that we’ve listed below to make your heart health the best it can be.

More Ways to Boost Heart Health

• Eat healthy fats. We need fats in our diet, including saturated, polyunsaturated and unsaturated fats. One type of fat we don’t need, however, is trans fat, which is known to increase your risk of developing heart disease. Trans fats hide in processed foods and are extremely unhealthy to consume, so do your best to eliminate those foods from your diet.
• Practice good dental hygiene. Dental health is a good indication of overall health because those who have periodontal (gum) disease often have the same risk factors for heart disease. To lessen this risk, floss and brush your teeth daily and thoroughly.
• Avoid sitting for long periods of time. Research has shown that those who live a sedentary lifestyle are at increased risk of heart disease and blood clots.

Our team at AFC Urgent Care Spring Hill is passionate about heart health! Don’t hesitate to call or visit us today if you need medical care or have any heart-related questions.