February is Heart Month

When you think of February, does a little cartoon heart pop up in your mind? This month is always associated with romance and a pink and red color scheme of sorts because of Valentine's Day. But let's shift the focus a little and start a conversation about our physical hearts. They take care of us and we always forget to do so in return.

I'm gonna let y'all in on some tips on how to empower yourself by living a heart healthy lifestyle! All in honor of Heart Health awareness month!

HEALTHY EATING

Working heart healthy foods into your diet is a great way to take care of yourself! Here are some foods that are insanely good for your heart.

• Food high in omega-3s, like salmon and tuna
• Nuts
• Berries
• Oatmeal
• Dark Colored Beans (Black Beans)
• Tofu
• Vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes and squash
• Spinach
• Asparagus
• Broccoli

and my two favorites...

• Red wine
• Dark Chocolate

STAYING ACTIVE

Another way to promote over all heart wellness is to keep yourself moving! This does not mean you have to have a strict work out regimen or do daily cardio. It's as easy as keeping a sedentary lifestyle in check. At work, when you are taking a break, walk around outside. Always park in the back of parking lots, so you have a longer walk to the grocery store! There are a lot of great ways to get your "steps" in, as people with fancy step counting bracelets are now saying! Just be mindful of your activities and you'll be good to go.

STRESS MANAGEMENT

A big piece of the heart health puzzle is learning to manage your stress levels. Expressing issues and feelings about your day to day life is the #1 way to keep your stress at bay. When you let your feelings out and allow other people to help you with your problems, you often have more time to devote to yourself and your hobbies. 

It's also important to remember to be mindful and breathe. Any form of meditation helps you slow down and take all that is happening in your life into account. It can help with watching your blood pressure and learning to cope with situations that might be out of your control.

OVERALL WELLNESS

• Always keep your regularly schedule doctor's appointments
• Avoid smoking and second hand smoke
• Know your family's history with heart disease
• Learn the warning signs of a heart attack

GET INVOLVED

It is proven that a great way to feel good and reduce stress is to give back and support others! There are plenty of ways to get involved for Heart Health Awareness Month. Go Red For Women and American Heart Association are two great places to get started in brainstorming how to give back! 

You can also set up a Brave Page with us and personally fundraise for your cause this Heart Health Awareness Month! This is a great way to support your loved ones and raise money. 

What are you going to do this month?