Happy heart week is fast approaching so I thought this week it would be good for you to focus on your heart.. how are you taking care of it? Do you ever even consider it. We take this powerful organ for granted and yet we depend on it for our life..heartbeat by heartbeat.
Right now place your hand on your chest , upper left , and feel your heart beat. Close your eyes and listen to it. Just listen. Then visualise what it does…its pumping blood filled with oxygen, vital nutrients and other essentials all around your body and into every cell of your human being…One beat at a time. Keep holding your heart and keep visualising what it does, take a deep breath and send it some love, health and positive energy. Give it thanks for your life today… this is an exercise I get many of my clients to do especially when they are really upset or hurting in some way grief, hurts or traumas. I encourage you to do it regularly and make it part of your ‘me-time, your relaxation routine, your meditation, your time out..whatever it is a fabulous feel good exercise to complete.
Other ways you can love, nourish and take good care of your heart include..
- Aim to reach your optimum weight as soon as possible. Excess weight puts pressure on your heart as it has greater mass to feed.
- Avoid smoking and second hand smoke as they are strongly linked to heart disease
- Get help with your stress.. Long term stress is damaging to every part of your mind and body. The body is designed to deal with short bouts of stress as it can quickly recover given the right conditions, of sleep, rest, inner happiness, healthy lifestyle…diet exercise etc
- A vegetarian diet using lots of beans, vegetables and greens dramatically lowers your risk of developing heart disease.
- Plenty of water at least 6-8 glasses daily is essential for a healthy heart and body.
- Reduce saturated fats found in cheese, meats, butter, cream, hard margarines..also convenience savouries such as burgers, sausages, pies, sausage rolls… avoid deep frying foods as much as possible.
- Have a good balance of many varied foods , fibre from fruit and veg, oily fish at least twice per week..which is rich in omega 3 essential fats found in wild salmon, cod, sardines, mackerel, herring, fresh tuna,
- Cook with good fats such as grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, rape seed oil, coconut butter /oil. Do not cook in olive oil or extra virgin olive oil as it is not heat stable, therefore when heated create free radicals which are very damaging to the body.
- Reduce table salts. Use sparingly a sea salt rich in potassium or magnesium. Usually available in health food stores..
A balance of exercise, sleep, good foods, inner peace and so on are essential for a happy healthy heart. Take one step this week to keep your heart beating for many many more years to come.
For healthy, nourishing recipes and tips go to my recipes for life programme. http://www.recipesforlifeonline.com
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