3 Steps to a Healthy Heart

national wear red day matching mom and son


Today is National Wear Red Day. According to the CDC, we should care about this day ALOT because it is bringing attention to the number one killer among women – heart disease. You heard me right. Heart disease is pecking us off the map every year MORE than anything else – including breast cancer. Here’s the kicker – in most cases, there are no prior symptoms to warn us about a looming problem.

Well if you ask me, this is a bunch of no fair crap! As women, we already deal with ALOT (hello periods, mammograms, and child birth)!  The good news is a lot of our everyday habits can help to protect us against heart disease. Things like a well balanced diet, exercise, and keeping our weight in check can help reduce are chances of heart disease.

So today, I am here to help you get your heart right, girl! Try to incorporate these 3 steps into your everyday life for overall better health.

Step 1 – Eat RIGHT

We’ve all heard that having a good diet can help our waistlines but did you know that diet also has a huge effect on your heart, too? The CDC says that eating foods low in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol and high in fiber can help prevent high cholesterol.

If you’re new to eating healthy, try taking a balanced approach and opt for a well-rounded diet. Try eating 4-5 meals a day and diversify your plate with a lot of color and veggies! Try this plate suggestion for your meals: 1 palm size of protein, 1 fist size of carbohydrates, and 1 fist size of veggies. Incorporate these portion sizes for 4 of your meals and make your last meal a double helping of fist sized veggies and skip the carb! Heart healthy snack ideas quick

Step 2 – GET MOVING

In a world where we are all glued to our phones and the TV – exercise is more important now than ever. Physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight and lower your blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels. The Surgeon General recommends that we get 2 1/2 hours of moderately intense exercise a week. That equates to about 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week of exercise.

If you’re short on time, try doing one of my circuit training workouts and set a timer for 30 minutes! If you hate the gym, head outside for a brisk walk, jog, or bike ride. Run around with your kids at the park for 30 minutes or go play around with your dog outside. Whatever is your jam – just do it!

Step 3 – Get an ANNUAL physical

It’s time to stop avoiding your doctor. Call them up and get yourself on the schedule for an annual physical. Yes – ANNUAL! Getting check-ups for your whole family can help find problems before they start. Your doc can screen you for all sorts of things like breast and cervical cancer, skin conditions, oral health, and high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Check out this checkup article the CDC has on their website for more information and tons of other helpful diet and exercise tools.

Okay guys – that’s it from me! Let’s all throw on our best red outfit today and raise awareness about heart health together. timberland boots womens fashion

Oh, and if you want to wear red YEAR round – check out this red lip review I uploaded to YouTube! For more fit tips, nutrition advice, and beauty ideas subscribe to my page.

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