How to Boost Your Heart Health

February marks heart health month and provides us with an opportunity to focus on the efforts we can make to improve our heart health. Did you know that up to 80% of premature heart disease and stroke can be prevented through your life habits, such as eating a healthy diet and, being physically active? At Commisso’s, we’re passionate about healthy living and we want to help you feel your best while encouraging you to make healthy living choices. Keep reading to learn more about our top three ways to boost your heart health.  

EAT WELL

The first step to improving your heart health is by eating better. Eating a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole-grain foods, and, protein is crucial in maintaining a healthy diet. A healthy diet can help lower your risk of heart disease by improving your cholesterol levels and reducing your blood pressure. Canada’s Food Guide recommends eating a variety of healthy foods at each meal every day. A good rule of thumb is to fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit, a quarter of your plate with whole grain foods, and a quarter of your plate with protein sources. At Commisso’s, we carry a wide variety of fresh produce, healthy whole grains, and, proteins to help level up your healthy lifestyle!

GET MOVING

Regular activity is key to healthy living and improving your heart health. Exercising can help you reduce your stress levels, increase your energy, and, improve your sleep. Try to complete some form of physical activity for at least 10 minutes a day. This can include walking the dog, playing with the kids, jogging, strength training, or swimming. If you’re just starting out, go slow and work up gradually to introduce physical activity into your daily life. No matter what it is, try to move your body for at least 10 minutes each day!

MANAGE YOUR STRESS

It is extremely important to understand your stressors and look for different ways to manage your stress. Doing this will help you feel better in the long run and lower your chances of illness. We suggest taking the time to identify what exactly is causing you stress. Finding what is causing you stress will help you develop different coping strategies to help minimize the amount of stress in your life. Some of our favourite ways to manage stress include being physically active, doing yoga, journaling, eating a healthy diet, and getting enough rest.