According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease remains to be in the top 10 leading causes of death worldwide.

This Philippine Heart Month, heart your health. Let’s all take the time to appreciate our hearts and take counteractive measures to prevent heart-related diseases such as stroke and hypertension. Although cardiovascular disease cannot be completely avoided, it’s still best to lessen the odds by adhering to a healthy lifestyle. That’s why we’ve listed down a few tips to keep our hearts fit and healthy. 

1. Exercise

It’s the first and most important regimen for physical improvement. 15 – 30 minutes of exercise per day notably increases blood circulation. Taking a simple walk or jog can already decrease our chances of being sick. Your much healthier heart will definitely thank you for this.

2. Eat Right 

DO NOT skip breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The body needs enough energy to go throughout the day and eating the right amount of food per meal is a way of giving energy to your body and most importantly, to your heart. For better heart health, avoid fatty and oily foods since these are known to cause complications.

3. Relax

Working an 8 or 9 – 5 job can be quite stressful and there will be times when our minds and bodies are not at par with each other. After coming home from work, take the time to unwind and relax however you feel best to relieve you of your day’s work. Just don’t overwork yourself and get an adequate rest for the day. Remember that dealing with tremendous amount of stress may lead to serious complications, such as high blood pressure.

4. Breathe

After working out or doing something vigorous, take the time to inhale and exhale. Slow down the rhythm of your heart because too much movement can tire it out. This routine will help ease your heart and can improve your state of mind as well.

5. Smile and/or Laugh

They say people who smile and laugh a lot live a healthy life. Smiling and laughing give the heart a boost as it releases the four primary chemicals that makes us do these: dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins. This release of chemicals is good for the heart because it reduces stress levels and lowers the heart rate while performing difficult tasks.

Sources:
https://technologyadvice.com/blog/information-technology/activate-chemicals-gamify-happiness-nicole-lazzaro/
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/9440567/Smiling-is-good-for-the-heart.html

GIFs from Giphy

Featured Photo:
Edgar Chaparro