It’s Not Too Late to Make a Date...

Did you now that it’s not too late to make a date with your heart?

February is American Heart Month, and there’s no better time to begin taking steps to be heart-healthy. Your heart is a vital organ that pumps blood throughout the body via the circulatory system, supplying oxygen and nutrients to tissues, muscles and other vital organs. In addition, the heart helps to remove carbon dioxide, toxins and other wastes. Take some time to give your heart a little TLC with these six heart-healthy tips:

Deep Breathing. Practice deep breathing for at least 5–10 minutes per day to detoxify your body. Slow, controlled breaths in and out, with pauses in between inhaling and exhaling, calms your nervous system and helps cleanse the body and ultimately boost heart health.

Eat nourishing whole food. Eating food that support heart-health is a sure winner! Make your heart smile with walnuts, broccoli, blueberries, green tea, oranges and dark chocolate

Proper Sleep. Make a commitment to get the proper rest that your body needs. Adequate sleep helps the heart to de-stress, repair and recover from the strain of daily activities.

Drink water. Proper hydration is not only good for your brain, your mood, and your body weight, but it's also essential for your heart. Your heart is constantly working, pumping about 2,000 gallons of blood a day. By drinking water, you’re helping your heart to operate at optimal levels.

Laugh more often. Laughter is linked to the healthy function of blood vessels. Laughing reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. When you laugh, the blood flow increases and the blood pressure rises; but when you stop laughing, blood pressure drops back to its baseline.

Commit to practice these practical steps on a daily basis to help keep your heart happy and healthy.