5 Tips for a Healthy Heart! How Activity, Teeth Brushing and Hydration Help Your Ticker

There are a number of thing one can do to stay heart healthy and avoid heart disease. Experts have these five tips to keep your ticker properly ticking.

Be Active

As the folks at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explain, “Getting regular physical activity can help prevent heart disease. Adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity each week. This includes anything that gets your heart beating faster —like walking, dancing and biking.”

Eat Right

“Having a healthy diet is very important to the health of your heart,” the American Red Cross points out. “When trying to avoid eating unhealthy foods, remember the 4Fs rule: Fast food, Frozen food, Fried food and Fatty food.” A heart-healthy diet focuses on whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Drink Up

According to the New Zealand Heart Foundation, “Dehydration can affect many parts of our body, including the heart. When you become dehydrated, the amount of blood circulating through your body is reduced. To compensate, your heart beats faster, increasing your heart rate and your blood pressure [and causes problems].” So, aim to drink eight to 10 cups of fluid each day.

Brush Back

“There are a lot of studies that have talked about — at least for periodontal disease — the connection between gum disease and heart health,” notes Dr. Sasha Ross, a periodontist at the Cleveland Clinic. Bacteria from your mouth can spread through your bloodstream and reach your heart — causing inflammation and possible disease. So, to thwart it, make sure to brush your teeth twice daily and floss at least once.

Sleep Tight

“Without enough sleep, your risk for heart disease and heart attack goes up — no matter your age, your weight or how much you exercise or smoke,” explain experts at Johns Hopkins Medicine. Aim for seven to eight hours a night. “But because this can vary by individual, you should be able to get into bed and fall asleep within about 15 minutes, and wake up without an alarm clock, feeling rested.”