Keeping
your heart healthy starts with a holistic approach of body, mind and
spirit. This Valentine's Day focus on your personal heart health with
these simple tips that you can incorporate into your life starting
right now.
Body
Ease
your body awake in the morning.
Start your day off right with a short but gradual process of
awakening. Your route to being fully awakened will have a tremendous
impact on the sort of day you will ultimately experience.
Once
you are aware that you are awake in the morning, give thanks and
appreciation for the new day. Then take 5 minutes to meditate. Sit
at the edge of your bed, eyes closed and listen to your breath, in
and out, for 5 minutes. Anytime you feel your thoughts drifting away,
pull it back to your breathing. Just 5 minutes of meditation each
morning will positively impact your ability think clearly, increase
your willpower and will put the mind in a clear frame to start the
day.
Take
time to exercise every day.
If you’ve never been able to maintain an exercise program, start
with a daily walk around your neighborhood. A brisk walk is great for
the heart and will increase your mental capacity and refresh your
spirit. It’s also a great way to get to know your neighbors and
that can have a profound impact on your health and wellbeing. If you
are healthy and want a more energetic workout, join your local gym or
community center. It’s a place to sweat and find like-minded
enthusiasts who share your desire for holistic heart health.
End
your day with peaceful rituals.
If you are stressed at bedtime you will get fewer hours of quality
sleep. Before you go to bed do what you can to resolve the stress you
are experiencing. Whether it’s work related or an unresolved
emotional issue, make sure you settle down and create a solution
before bedtime. Even if your solution is written on a piece of paper
for the morning it will help you ease into sleep.
Use
massage for heart health.
Therapeutic massage has been practiced by ancient cultures for
thousands of years and can be an integral ingredient to long-term
heart health. Massage has been shown to enhance circulation, reduce
stress and can reduce inflammation by keeping blood flowing to vital
muscles. Its important to reframe massage and see it not as a luxury
but as a vital practice that with consistency can increase long-term
health and overall wellbeing.
Mind
Reset
your happiness mindset each day.
It turns out that the internal chatter we work to shut off and tune
into throughout the day is really important. It’s significant to
the quality of each minute of our daily life. Take time and tune into
that mind chatter, making sure it is gives your heart and soul
nutrient-rich thoughts that uplift and energize. If your chatter is
bringing you down, get mindful and become more conscious of your
thoughts throughout the day. Deciding to be happy for awhile can turn
your whole day around and into something magical.
Practice
mindfulness during the day. What
could be better for your heart than being truly alive in the moment?
It really doesn’t matter what you are doing if it’s executed with
mindfulness and in a way that enhances your life experience. Think
about that today, as you walk the dog, do the laundry or play with
your child outside. Being mindful, living in the moment elevates the
everyday into a spiritual experience.
Laughter’s
a magic elixir for life.
Laughter binds us together, creates instant intimacy and it feels
great. Even better, when we laugh and enjoy others its impact grows
and infects the lives of other people. Laughing can increase your
immune system, dissolve stress, diminish anxiety and fear and pumps
your body with heart-healthy endorphins. Seek out laughter, engage
with others and make life more enjoyable with a good laugh.
Learn
to say no.
We all know and admire individuals who approach life with quiet
confidence and can say no without a hint of guilt. They know their
emotions set the stage for performance and being able to say no keeps
anxiety and being overwhelmed at bay. The next time too much is asked
of you, avoid the heart-straining freak out and exercise some
powerful self-assurance residing deep inside to say no to that
request.
Spirit
Bring
passion to what you do each day.
Let's say you can’t quit your job today and begin pursuing your
life’s greatest passion. For now, focus on taking 15-30 minutes
each day and devote that time to the thing in life that gives you a
spark and that makes you feel so alive that you can’t break away
from once you’re focused on it. The heart knows when you start
exercising your passion and that positive energy flows to every
corner of your being bringing a dose of happiness and joy. Today,
start small with full concentration on a new and passionate
beginning, you won’t believe where it takes you.
Surround
yourself with great friends.
It’s extremely important for health to surround yourself with
people who love and accept you. When you build a supportive network
of friends your circle gets bigger and stronger as a collective unit.
A caring network of like-minded friends creates positive synergy and
becomes a positive force that follows you throughout the day. Take
time and effort to seek out friends with common interests and engage
in meaningful relationships with the people you care about in life.
Open
your spirit to nature.
Experiencing nature on a daily basis has been shown to reduce stress
and anxiety. Nature and its harmonious effects are closely tied to
your heart's emotional wellbeing. Take time each day to get outside
with nature. See and acknowledge the beauty around you on a daily
basis, it will make you feel more alive and inspired throughout the
day.
Your
heart health can be enhanced in the ordinary moments of everyday
mind, body and spirit.
