WRITTEN BY KATHRYN ABBOT
Nothing makes the heart feel more deeply than love. Be it for your loved ones, your romantic partner, friends or even just your genuine care for the people around you, this season just gives you all those warm, fuzzy feelings that either makes your heart race or swell in emotion. However, it’s also important to love yourself, too, which includes making sure you maintain or improve your own health. And, in this case, your heart is one of the most vital parts of yourself that you need to check and care for.
After all, it is responsible for pumping blood and distributing oxygen and necessary nutrients throughout your body every day of your entire life. Without it, you wouldn’t even be here at all. So, keeping your heart healthy, strong, and performing well is key. Of course, this is easier said than done, as many of us are struggling to care for ourselves with the hectic, fast-paced, and often unhealthy lifestyles we live by. It doesn’t help that, as of 2023, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has revealed that cardiovascular diseases are among the top causes of death via illness in the Philippines.
Luckily for you, we have a few tips that can help you nurture your heart and keep it in top shape, with help from NUTRILITE™ and its plant-based, traceable, and effective products and solutions.
7 Tips on Nurturing Your Heart
* Disclaimer: There are NO APPROVED THERAPEUTIC CLAIMS for the items featured in this list. Please consult your doctor before taking any of these supplements and meal replacements, especially if you’re a child under 12-years-old, a pregnant/lactating woman, or anyone with a medical condition.
1. Eat Healthily – Start with changing your diet to a more nutritious one, especially to support your heart. As advised by the American Heart Association (AHA) and Harvard Health Publishing, this means including the following in meals: lean meat like poultry and fish, various fruits and vegetables, plant-based proteins like legumes, whole grains, and more. And just in case, you can use the NUTRILITE™ Omega 3 Complex Softgel Capsule, since its natural and sustainably sourced ocean fish-worth of Omega 3 Fatty Acids are known for promoting heart health, along with playing key roles in eye and brain health. Along with this, you can also take the NUTRILITE™ Lecithin-E with Honey Tablet, as it is filled with Vitamin E, an antioxidant that combats free radicals and helps in maintaining good cell health.
2. Minimize Salt and Sugar – Try cutting back on any food and drink with too much salt and/or added sugars as much as you can. This way, you can greatly reduce the chances of developing certain illnesses like high blood pressure and diabetes, which can often contribute to many heart problems. And, just in case for extra security, try using the NUTRILITE™ Garlic Tablet in your daily diet, since garlic is commonly used to help in maintaining healthy levels of cholesterol and blood pressure.
3. Get Enough Rest – Get as much sleep and rest as possible. According to AHA, having a full 7-9 hours of sleep can greatly help your heart and improve your health in various ways, which include healing and repairing your cells and blood vessels, improving your mood and energy, and more.
4. Exercise Regularly – Be physically active consistently, even if it’s as simple as taking daily walks. Exercising regularly helps improve your blood pressure and cholesterol, strengthen your heart’s muscles, and manage your weight, all of which are some of the major factors in your heart’s health. As further support, the NUTRILITE™ All-Plant Protein Powder contains high quality, plant-based protein that is low in fat and calories. This is especially helpful since protein, especially from plants, lean meat, and nuts and legumes, can help you in building up your strength while supporting your heart.
5. Cut Back on Unhealthy Habits – While smoking and alcohol may sometimes help you unwind, they are not healthy ways to do so in the long run. Aside from the fact that they can wreck your lungs and liver respectively, they also contribute to increasing your risk for heart disease as reported by both AHA and the World Health Organization. So, while a sip or two may seem fine on the surface, it’s probably best to avoid both to ensure your heart’s health.
6. Manage Your Stress Levels – Managing stress not only helps you mentally but also protects your heart from further damage and even improves its condition. This can be done through better time management and planning, engaging in healthier ways to cope like exercising, spending time with friends and loved ones, and more. However, another way to help manage stress is practicing mindfulness via meditation, which, as reported by the Harvard Health Publishing on AHA’s research on it, can help calm you down (both mind and body), lowers blood pressure, and more.
7. Embrace Positive Feelings – Last, but not least, don’t be afraid to feel positive emotions or even embracing positivity as whole. It both helps you in your relationships with yourself and other people and keeps your heart healthy and protected. Research has shown that pleasant feelings through being close to another person, companion animal or something greater than us induce additional oxytocin, a hormone produced by the heart that helps protect it by aiding in better blood flow and lowering blood pressure. In short, showing love and affection to your family, your friends, your partner or even your pet does nourish your heart.
