Heart Healthy Living

February is Heart Health Month and one of the best ways to celebrate is to develop heart healthy habits. Since heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women, it just makes sense to be informed!

Risk factors for coronary heart disease include:

·         High blood pressure

·         High cholesterol

·         Overweight

·         Diabetes

·         Smoking

·         Not getting regular exercise

·         Family history of heart disease

·         History of preeclampsia during pregnancy

·         Disordered eating behaviors

·         Over age 55

These factors compound so the more factors you have the greater your possible risk.  What can you do?  Since some of these factors such as family history or age are beyond your control, it is wise to address the things that you can control.  Truthfully the “controllables” such as quitting smoking or getting to a healthy weight are not that easy, but they are certainly worth the effort! If you share your goals with others, and develop a support system to help you, it can make the journey easier.

Here are a few practical things you can start right away…

• Join our Everyday Wellness Journey Facebook Group a ready-made support system to help you get started.  One of my favorite things about this group is the wellness habit trackers that remind me daily to make smart choices. Please ask me for a link to the group.

• Begin an exercise routine. Wellness on Demand  provides free on-line exercise classes if you enjoy working out at home, or perhaps you can join a gym or find a walking buddy.

If your doctor recommends supplementation, incorporating products from Shaklee’s Heart Health Collection can make a noticeable difference.

• OmegaGuard delivers a full spectrum of highly purified omega-3 fatty acids that supports heart, brain, eye, and joint wellness.

• Cholesterol Reduction Complex provides 2,000 mg of plant sterols and stanols that studies found can help to lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

• Co Q Heart with a blend of Coenzyme Q10 and resveratrol, helps prioritize energy production and supports healthy arteries.

• Blood Pressure  contains natural ingredients like beet powder, spinach powder, quercetin, and magnesium to retain your blood pressure and promote better blood flow. It's a valuable source of dietary nitrates.

• Stress Relief Complex Using a blend of L-theanine, ashwagandha, beta-sitosterol, and L-tyrosine, Stress Relief Complex can promote a calm relaxed state without causing drowsiness.

Heart-healthy living involves understanding your risk, making healthy choices, and taking steps to reduce your chances of getting heart disease. And the great thing is – each of these steps is actually good for your whole body! Please reach out if you'd like more information or just to talk. When it comes to heart health, I guarantee that worrying about it, or ignoring it is not the answer.