I almost forgot I needed to post a tip today - I am usually at work by 6:30am, so the timing of this list doesn't help me and probably all of you as well - but it helps to remember what I have to do - hope it helps with your goals and for improved heart health.
DAILY HEART-HEALTH SCHEDULE
6:30am Start sipping - water helps flush out excess sodium (a major cause of hypertension) and many of us wake dehydrated. Guzzle water or a glass of OJ, which helps to lower blood pressure.
6:45am Strap on your sneakers or pedometer - exercise helps your heart work more efficiently, and doing it in the morning helps you burn more calories throughout the day.
7:45am Fuel up with oatmeal - one of the best cholesterol lowering foods and contains antioxidants that keep plaque from accumulating in arteries.
8:15am Start dinner - load your slow cooker with lean protein and plenty of veggies - vitamins and nutrients are preserved in the juices.
10:30am Green tea - skip another cup of coffee and go for green tea - rich in antioxidants and promotes healthy blood flow.
12:30pm Leave your desk - brown bag it for healthy lunch but take a break from your desk to relieve stress - eat foods high in fiber and protein - avoid those high in sodium.
2:30pm Have a snack - maybe an apple with a TBSP of low sodium peanut butter
3:30pm Take a breather - slowly and deeply inhale and then exhale. Being chronically stressed and anxious has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular problems.
7pm Take a walk - Mild physical activity an hour or so after eating helps with digestion and takes stress off the heart.
9pm Start winding down - ease into it (warm bath; simple yoga moves). Rub on some lavender oil - the scent promotes deeper sleep.
9:30pm Don't forget to floss - people with gum disease are more prone to cardiovascular disease.
10pm Lights out - At least 7 hours of shut-eye is essential to prevent cardiovascular disease. Lack of sleep can lead to obesity, since it increases the production of ghrelin, a hormone that sends a message to your brain that says "I'm hungry....feed me".
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2 comments:
Wonderful Post! And thank you for staying with me on this =)
I think I'm going to try this routine starting tomorrow. I know one of my biggest problems is that I feel overwhelmed that there's not enough time in the day for me. Sometimes people think that exercising is your personal time, but I look at it as a chore, therefore I don't view it as fun. I have found in the past week that I run out of time at night to do anything fun. I get home from work around 6pm, workout for an hour (takes about 1 hour, 15 minutes to do 60 minutes on the Wii) and then I start dinner. We eat kind of late since I've added another 30 minutes to my routine and then we eat and do the dishes, I take care of other chore-like housekeeping and then I shower and there's really no time to go do anything. I don't watch tv, except the news while I make dinner, but I find that I am really beat by about 9:30 when I'm done for the day.
The reason I bring all of this up is because I think I need to get up earlier and start my day with exercise. That way, I eliminate the hour + and also having to shower at the end of the day. I think by getting up an hour early, it will give me 2 hours of free time at night, which I could really use!
I will start this tomorrow, thanks for posting!
I sure wish I could exercise in the morning - you are right, it eliminates an extra shower each day and gives you extra energy. However, I wake up at 4:30am and am at work by 6 or 6:30am each day, so it doesn't work for me. DARN ! But maybe mixing it up a bit will kick start you again, since you said the other day that you felt like you weren't getting anywhere and I thought it might be because you did and ate a lot the same each day. Perhaps this will help !? Hope so !
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