New Year Heart Healthy Resolutions

Here we go, another year!  This will be year 60 for me!  58 on the old heart & 2 on the new!!!

6 New Year's Resolutions to Boost Heart Health

New Year's Resolution: Vow to Reduce Stress

• Identify your stressors so you can deal with them head-on.
• Take control, and change the things you can.
• Use tried-and-true stress-reducers such as exercise, deep breathing, and focused imagery to let out your emotion

New Year's Resolution: Vow to Get More Exercise

• Find an aerobic activity you enjoy, such as walking, swimming, or cycling. These aerobic activities are rhythmic and repetitive, so they get your heart beating and your big muscles moving.
• Work out at the same time every day so it can more easily become part of your daily life.
• Exercise enough to break a sweat and increase your heart rate. But remember you don't need to be out of breath.

New Year's Resolution: Vow to Watch Your Blood Pressure

To keep track of your blood pressure levels, especially if they’re high or borderline-high, consider buying a home blood pressure monitor. Then record your levels in a book. Keeping track of your blood pressure daily or weekly is a healthy habit that can help you and your doctor get your numbers under control.

New Year's Resolution: Vow to Learn Your Heart Health Family History

• Is there any family history of heart disease, stroke, or heart attack?
• Is there any family history of high blood pressure, especially at an early age?
• Most importantly, is there any history of a heart attack in a male before age 50 or a female before age 60?

New Year's Resolution: Vow to Know Your Cholesterol

• Total cholesterol of less than 200 mg/dL
• LDL "bad" cholesterol of less than 130 mg/dL
• HDL "good" cholesterol of 60 mg/dL or higher

New Year's Resolution: Vow to Eat Right for Better Heart Health

• Substitute red meat with proteins such as fish and chicken several times every week.
• Include a combined seven servings of fruits and vegetables into your diet every day.
• Switch to whole grains instead of processed grains as much as possible.
• Limit cholesterol from egg yolks to once a week if your cholesterol is normal, and eliminate them altogether if your cholesterol is high.

What do you think?  Can I do it?  Yep!  Some will be more difficult then others!!!