Some of the most well-known ways to maintain a healthy heart include quitting smoking, exercising regularly, reducing stress and modifying your diet, among others. But recent studies have shown other little-known ways to take care of your heart.
Below, we share other important, but not so obvious, ways to keep your heart healthy:
Get a pet. Research shows us that caring for and spending time with a pet can reduce stress, make you more active and improve your overall quality of life, which helps reduce your chances of developing cardiovascular conditions.
Reduce your dependence on technology. In today’s world we are overly dependent on technology, such as cell phones, tablets and computers. And most of the time we spend using them contributes to increased stress hormones and higher blood pressure. Also, sitting for long hours in front of the computer or TV contributes to coronary heart disease.
Expose yourself to sunlight. Vitamin D, which you get when you sunbathe, has been shown to be an important preventive vitamin for heart-related diseases.
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Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep is associated with calcium buildup in the arteries, additional stress and poor lifestyle preferences, all of which can put your cardiovascular health at risk.
Laugh out loud. Some say that “laughter is the best medicine” but, when it comes to the heart, laughter has been shown to actually help prevent cardiovascular disease. Laughing a lot and often stimulates blood flow and prevents hardening of the arteries.
Avoid trans fats and sugar (especially high fructose corn syrup). It promotes diabetes, which takes its toll on your heart.
References
https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2009/February/feature1.htm
http://www.rd.com/health/wellness/30-ways-to-reduce-your-risk-of-heart-disease-and-stroke/ https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/magazine/happiness-stress-heart-disease/ http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/sites/default/files/nutrition_insights_uploads/Insight44.pdf