Keeping your heart healthy as a busy mom can be far harder than you may think. Even if you are very short on time, here are a few things you can do to keep your heart happy and healthy day after day.
Change Your Diet
The first thing you need to do is analyse your diet. Eating the right food and cutting out the food that doesn’t help your heart and health is essential. Change your diet to include all the right vitamins and minerals you need, and cut out the things that are bad for your heart, such as fats, sugar, etc.
If you are struggling to make a complete change to your diet, supplementing with heart health vitamins from Metagenics can fill in any gaps that are missing from your diet.
Stay Hydrated
By the time you realise you are thirsty, you have almost always been dehydrated for a while. If you are constantly on the go, doing the school runs, cooking, shopping, etc, it is very easy to not drink enough water.
Because of this, get into the habit of having a full bottle of water with you at all times. You should have at least three or four large bottles a day, and if you always have one in the car, in your bag, or by your side, you will definitely drink enough each day.
Reduce Alcohol & Smoking
Both alcohol and smoking are generally bad for your health, and therefore, they aren’t great for your heart either. Considering women are more prone to coronary microvascular disease, the last thing you want to do is drink or smoke, both of which can play havoc on your heart.
Exercise
It comes as no surprise that exercise is one of the best things you can do to improve your heart health. It strengthens your cardiovascular system, which improves your heart’s health and function.
When it comes to exercise, and if you are busy, there is no need to try to find an extra hour or two to spend in the gym, but going for regular walks, doing yoga at home, or joining a running group are brilliant alternatives.
Exercise Alternatives
If regular exercise or dedicated physical activity just isn’t on the cards, there are several changes you can make to your everyday life that can double as exercise. For instance, when you go to the store, park further away from the entrance to force yourself to do more walking.
Other changes include walking anytime you can, taking the stairs instead of escalators or lifts, etc. These small changes only take slightly longer than what you would normally do, but the benefits will quickly build.
Reduce Stress
Stress is a serious problem for your heart, with one of the most dangerous side effects being a heart attack. As a mum, stress is most likely a consistent part of your day to varying degrees. As a result, it is essential to find a healthy way to manage stress.
Meditation, breathing exercises, journaling, or seeking professional help can all help reduce stress and alleviate pressure on your heart. Even if those things don’t work, find what does work for you; you never know, maybe taking up kickboxing or pottery is exactly what you need to reduce stress.
Find Time for Yourself
Relaxation is one of the most important things you can do for your heart, and therefore, finding time for yourself to do something that calms you should be an important part of your day.
While this can sometimes be difficult, take any time you can for yourself. Whether it be the quiet ten minutes you get with your morning coffee, or spending a bit of time reading in bed before you go to sleep, your heart will thank you for every extra minute you give it.
Pay Attention to Changes
Don’t overlook any changes you may feel when it comes to your heart. Whether it be slight pain that doesn’t seem to go away, or even something small like your heartbeat speeding up for no reason, keep an eye on these changes.
If these problems persist or worsen, make the time to visit the doctor and have it checked out, as the sooner you identify any potential issues, the sooner you can address them.
Know Your Family History
Another step to take is to investigate your family history when it comes to heart health. There are many heart conditions that can be passed on from mother to daughter, with some even skipping a generation.
Knowing if heart disease or a particular condition is in your family tree will help you know what to look for and help you get on top of them and deal with them before they get worse.
Stay on Top of Vaccines
Finally, some studies have shown that the flu and cold can affect women’s hearts in worse ways when compared to men. Because of this, it is important to stay on top of your vaccines so that if you do get sick, it won’t be as bad as it could be.