Protect Your Heart - Four Powerful Tips for a Healthy Heart

The heart is the most important organ of the human body. I am reminded of a story about the heart. A man who wanted to check the condition of his heart went to a doctor. The doctor, after conducting some tests, told the patient, "Your heart is fine. It will work as long as you live!" The patient felt relieved, not becoming immediately aware of the subtle meaning of the doctor's words.

As the doctor's message conveys, your heart will work as long as you live and you live as long as your heart works. Statistics show that more Americans die due to heart problems than due to other diseases. They also indicate that heart disease could have been prevented in four out of five cases it developed. So, the question is how to prevent the occurrence of heart diseases and keep your heart healthy so that it will function for a long time. Here are four tips for keeping your heart in a healthy condition. These tips relate to your lifestyle habits.

Eat more fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are rich in phytonutrients which keep your heart healthy. Five servings are the recommended dosage. When you eat more of fruits and vegetables, your consumption of processed foods will come down. This will be good for your overall health since eating processed foods can cause several health problems.

Make exercising a part of your daily routine
When you exercise your body, your heart experiences some movement, which is good for its healthy functioning. You should exercise at least for 10 minutes a day. If you spend 30 minutes exercising, it will be wonderful.

Get Adequate Sleep
You need about 8 hours of sleep everyday. If you can't get 8 hours' sleep, ensure that you get at least 6 hours' sleep. Any sleep deficiency can be made up by taking a short nap during the time.

Be Happy and Enjoy Your Life
Nothing can do as much good to your heart as good spirits and cheer can. People who have a happy disposition will be less prone to problems affecting their hearts. It may not be possible for you to be always happy because life delivers both happy and unhappy experiences to us. But you can make it a practice to come out of your grief quickly. Another way to remain cheerful is to use life's opportunities to enjoy yourself. You don't have to spend money travelling or watching movies or other shows. You can keep yourself amused by enjoying jokes, chatting with your friends, indulging in your favorite hobbies etc.