1. Choose Heart-Healthy Foods
   Uncontrolled high blood pressure is the leading cause of heart disease and stroke, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). If your numbers are high, there are foods that can help decrease your blood pressure naturally: oats, quinoa, fruits and vegetables including avocado, bananas, beets, berries, leafy greens, kiwi and spinach, and even dark chocolate.
   In general, a predominantly whole foods plant-based lifestyle is recommended by many experts like Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, the author of “Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease” (2007), in which he argued for a low-fat, whole foods, plant-based diet that avoids all animal products and oils, as well as reducing or avoiding soybeans, nuts and avocados.
   Plant-based diets benefit heart health because they contain no dietary cholesterol, very little saturated fat, and abundant fiber. Meat, cheese, and eggs, on the other hand, are packed with cholesterol and saturated fat, which cause plaque buildup in the arteries, eventually increasing the risk for heart disease.
2. Get Moving
   The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise, 75 minutes of vigorous activity, or a combination of both. Exercise can include anything from walking to dancing to yoga—choose the one that speaks to you so you’ll stick with it.
3. Just Breathe
   Meditation is just one way to feed your soul—and there’s research to back up its health benefits too. Try out a meditation app like Headspace or CALM. The breath and health are connected as every system in the body relies on oxygen. From cognition to digestion, effective breathing can not only provide you with a greater sense of mental clarity, it can also help you sleep better, digest food more efficiently, improve your body’s immune response, and reduce stress levels.
4. Practice Gratitude
   Meditation is just one way to feed your soul—and there’s research to back up its health benefits too. Try out a meditation app like Headspace or CALM. The breath and health are connected as every system in the body relies on oxygen. From cognition to digestion, effective breathing can not only provide you with a greater sense of mental clarity, it can also help you sleep better, digest food more efficiently, improve your body’s immune response, and reduce stress levels.
5. Get Some Rest
   Lack of sleep, especially when it’s chronic, has been associated with high blood pressure and heart disease. To help get a good night’s rest, avoid caffeine late in the day, exercise regularly, and stick to a regular sleep schedule to keep your body’s clock running smoothly.

What steps are you taking this month to improve your heart health?
I know that really busy and highly overwhelmed people, especially women and moms, wind up putting their health and energy on the backburner and suffer. They are often feeling sick and exhausted and they never “have the time” to take care of their health. So what if I tell you that you can completely turn your health and life around, often in a matter of a few months or even weeks with simple lifestyle hacks that you can fit into your life and into your family easily? That you just have to get started? That you just have to correct a few beliefs? Small changes every day add up and can lead to improved health and energy in the long run, and I am here to help!
If you feel the time has come to take charge of your health, especially during February, the month of “Self Love”, and want to learn more about habit changes that go beyond the list of the suggestions above, let me know please. I am always happy to talk, my email is constance@7healthydays.org

I am starting another 8-week group course, “Prioritize Your Health NOW” focusing on Self Love and Heart Health, around Valentine’s Day.