According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention,
approximately 600,000 Americans die every year of heart disease, and
heart disease accounts for about one out of every four deaths. Living a
longer and healthier life is not as difficult as most people think.
Often, strict diets and gym routines can seem overwhelming. Instead of
viewing health as a chore, view it as an exciting new lifestyle. There
is more to life than eating tasteless food and spending time at the gym.
Similarly, effectively reducing your chances of heart disease can give
you a better life as well as a longer life.
• Get outside and do something fun
Getting about an hour of mild exercise each day is a great way to
start living a healthier life. Instead of trying to squeeze time at the
gym into your busy schedule, schedule fun activities with friends and
family. One great thing about mild exercise is that time spent walking
adds up. Walking around the park and playing Frisbee with your kids is a
fun way to have a relaxing afternoon. Taking mass transit can also
help save money while getting light exercise. Taking a 10-minute walk
to and from the train station or bus stop from your home every workday
can give you 20 minutes of guaranteed light exercise every day.
• Find a few hobbies that you enjoy
The gym is not for everyone. Some people prefer different types of
activities to get enough moderate exercise per week. Basically this is
the type of exercise where you get your heart rate into its target zone
for a cardio workout and have it stay there for a while. Some different
activities include boxing, joining a sports team, hiking, biking,
cross-country skiing, swimming, dancing, horseback riding, and running.
Many people find that it is helpful to have a friend to complete the
activities with them.
Hobbies that do not involve a lot of physical activity can also be
helpful, as long as they get you out and about. Taking up activities
that get you outside the house or office such as photography, ceramics,
woodworking, and spending quality time with your kids outside can help
your overall quality of life and heart health. Instead of being a couch
potato, be active. More important, find something you enjoy doing.
Instead of deteriorating on the sofa while eating chips, do something
fun. You can find opportunities to meet new friends and spend time with
people you care about.
• Eat well for the rest of your life
Eating well does not have to be as difficult as it sounds. Most
popular diet plans are not sustainable for everyone. Sooner or later,
most people want to stop counting calories or have a piece of wedding
cake. Many people do not know how much easier (and cheaper) cooking
simple meals at home can be. After a long day, spend ten minutes making
scrambled eggs with vegetables, toast, and a sliced apple for dinner.
Other easy ways to cut calories without noticing include drinking water
instead of soda and eating smaller portions at restaurants by taking
half of large entrees to go.
• Adopt a dog
Having a dog can arguably be the cheapest exercise plan you could
ever buy. Plus, the right dog will hold you accountable for daily
walks, rain or shine. It is a lot easier to bail on a gym class than
ignore a dog that is carrying his leash around the house. Many pet
owners report that a dog can also help provide companionship and
unconditional love. Having a pet may lower blood pressure by reducing
stress as well as increasing exercise.
• Adopt a healthy lifestyle forever
One main problem when adopting a healthy lifestyle is that a part of
it is not sustainable. Some people love getting up at 5:00 every
morning to go to the gym, but others can’t stand it for very long.
Instead of forcing yourself to do something you hate for a few months to
drop a few pounds and have a healthier heart, find activities that you
enjoy. Similarly, instead of going on a crash diet, find simple ways to
make your diet better by eliminating things you won’t miss or finding
simple dinner solutions.
Live longer and live better
Other top causes of death (e.g. auto accidents) are often
unavoidable. To live longer, focus on having a healthy heart.
Furthermore, instead of focusing only on living longer, think about ways
that you can live longer and enjoy your life more than ever.
Lauren Hill writes for Cardiac Vascular & Thoracic Surgery Associates, a Virginia surgery group specializing in robotic, transplant and open heart surgeries.
Lauren Hill is a contributing author for American Academy of Private Physicians (AAPP), a non-profit organization supporting the growth of concierge and other forms of personalized medical care.
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