10 Doctor Recommendations for Heart Health
It sometimes seems like the information in news articles about health recommendations change weekly. Do you find it hard to keep up? Here are just a few recommendations we’ve come across recently:
- Doctors recommend eating about 25 grams of fibre every day to improve heart health. Are you getting that much?
- Moderate your intake of alcohol. Guidelines by Health Canada suggest a limit of two drinks per day. How many drinks are you consuming?
- How many hours of sleep do you get each night? Doctors recommend at least eight hours for optimal heart health. Are you meeting that goal?
- Doctors say you should exercise at least two and a half hours every week. Are you able to fit that into your weekly routine?
- When exercising, chose physical activities that you’ll really enjoy. You’ll be more likely to stick with it.
- Health care practitioners tell us to make exercise a daily habit. Even if you can’t exercise for two and a half hours every week, start small. Even a brisk 20 minute walk can improve heart health.
- How many of you sit at a desk all day? If you can’t exercise every day, even two 10-minute breaks for a stretch and walk around the office can improve heart health.
- Always forgetting to take those two 10-minute walks? Even something as simple as consistently taking the stairs versus the elevator or escalator is a great way to add a little bit of exercise into your daily routine.
- We hear from doctors all the time that strong social support networks help lower the risk of heart disease. Are you making time for friends and family?
- Did you know laughter is an important factor in relieving stress that can cause heart disease? It’s true! Make it a point to read or watch something every day that makes you laugh without fail.
These are just a few of the recommendations we’ve read about lately. How many doctor’s orders are you following?
