CDC: Four ways to a healthier heart within a month
A month can be a lot of things, depending on your perspective. To a child waiting for Christmas, a month can feel like eternity; to the Earth itself, a month is barely perceptible in a lifetime of billions of years. But for your heart health, a month can make all the difference in the world, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Nearly all Americans eat too much salt, so cutting down on sodium is a great way to improve heart health. Eating more fruits and vegetables, consuming lower-sodium versions of your favorite foods, and having fewer takeout meals are all easy ways to keep your daily sodium intake at the recommended level, and can be accomplished over the course of a month.
The CDC recommends getting 150 minutes of exercise a week to reduce heart disease risk. This can be anything from walking around town to a more advanced activity like yoga or kick-boxing. A half-hour five times a week is not a huge time commitment, and it can really help your heart.
Are you a smoker? Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, and while quitting is never easy, a month is plenty of time to recover, and the benefits of quitting start right away.
Perhaps the most important thing you could do for your heart is simply to be aware of it. Check your blood pressure, take prescribed medication, and make sure to relax and smell the roses sometimes. The world can wait, heart health is more important.
Learn more at the CDC’s website.