December 21, 2021
Many individuals are striving toward a fresh start for the new year. And with how the recent years have been, it’s an excellent opportunity to look forward to a brighter, better, and healthier future. If you want to make a change in 2022 that could have a real, positive impact on your life, why not make better heart health a part of your New Year’s resolutions? Explore the steps you could take to better your heart health this year. And find professionals who you can trust to put you on the path toward wellness at Cardiovascular Institute of the South.
The purpose of a New Year’s resolution is to better your life. And improving your heart health can play a crucial role in achieving that goal. It’s true that making real changes in your life can be challenging, especially at first. But with the right mindset, effort, and support, you could make it a part of your daily life.
One of the ways people fail their New Year’s resolutions is because they try to do too much too quickly. However, this can quickly become overwhelming, and it often leads to feelings of failure when unrealistic expectations aren’t reached. But if you ease yourself into your new routine, you can improve the likelihood of sticking to your goals. Talk to your doctor about setting reasonable goals for your needs.
Based on your needs, there may be a number of steps you could take to improve your heart health. But for many, the key focus areas often have to do with one or a combination of these three things: diet, exercise, and smoking cessation.
A heart-healthy diet can look different for everyone. That being said, the adjustments might be larger than others. This is why a gradual change may be best in certain circumstances. Talking with your doctor or a dietitian can help you slowly cut out harmful foods and find healthier replacements you can enjoy.
Perhaps one of your New Year’s resolutions involves getting more exercise. But again, it’s important to introduce these changes gradually and with realistic goals in mind. There are simple ways to get your heart pumping, even if you don’t have a gym membership. Unfortunately, many people don’t get enough physical activity in their regular routines But daily walks or jogs can make a difference. Don’t begin with unrealistic goals such as spending two hours working out every day of the week. Instead, focus on activities that can get your heart rate up, such as walking, jogging, or even dancing. Being active for just 30 minutes a day, five days a week, can go a long way toward improving your heart health and stamina. Talk to your doctor about what could be a good way to commence your personal exercise needs.
In addition, you could also begin to improve your heart health by kicking the habit of smoking. Smoking can harm nearly every part of the body in one way or another. When it comes to the chemicals in tobacco smoke, they actively harm your blood cells and damage the function of your heart. This damage increases your risk for atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. From there, you could see a domino effect as the plaque builds up and causes more issues, potentially resulting in death. But choosing to stop smoking benefits both your heart and blood vessels. At Cardiovascular Institute of the South, we offer a comprehensive approach to give patients the support they need to help them stop smoking. If you are a smoker or nicotine user, learn more about our smoking cessation program and add it to your New Year’s resolutions.
Are you ready to make a change in your heart health? If so, setting your sights on the right New Year’s resolutions might be the best choice for you. For more information just like this, feel free to take a look at our blog or give us a call at your closest Cardiovascular Institute of the South. Here’s to a happier, healthier new year in 2022!