Changes that Will Help Improve Your Heart Health #Healhy2020 #hearthealth #cardiovasculartips

As I learned over the past couple of years, heart health is essential and cannot be ignored! The good news is that cardiovascular issues are not inevitable...there are a number of proactive steps you can take to improve your heart health. As part of my ongoing #Healthy2020 series, The Weekend Gourmet correspondent is sharing lifestyle changes that can have a positive impact on our heart health. This feature may contain affiliate links.

We all acknowledge the importance of looking after our heart, but what are you actually doing to make sure you meet this goal? If you’ve decided now is the time to start focusing on the your heart health and ensuring it’s in the best condition it possibly can be, you’re in the right place! Here are some lifestyle changes you can make that will have a highly positive impact on your heart’s health.

Reduce Your Stress Levels

First, you should think about how much stress you experience on a daily basis. If you often feel overwhelmed and stressed out, it should be your goal to reduce those stress levels -- because your heart will be impacted by them. Your mental health and heart health are certainly linked when it comes to things like stress...so get a handle on this ASAP.

Cut Down on Fatty Foods

Your diet will obviously have a big impact on your heart health. So if you want to do something positive for your heart health, think about how your diet should change. To start, you should cut down on fatty foods. Of course, some fats are healthy...but you should severely reduce your intake of saturated fats to do something positive for your heart -- and health in general.

Exercise a Little Every Day

Physical activity also matters a great deal when it comes to the health of your heart. You should try to do at least a little exercise every day, aiming to increase your heart rate. Ideally, you should focus on cardiovascular workouts because they get raise your pulse rate, allowing you to burn calories and excess fat you’re carrying.

Image Source - CC0 License

Attend Regular Health Check-Ups

To ensure your health is in good check and there are no obvious problems with your heart, you should schedule regular health check-ups with your doctor. They’ll be able to spot problems early and make specific recommendations for how you can improve your health and take better care of your heart. Your personal physicians know you well, so they'll be able to offer you personalized, tailored advice.

Maintain an Active Social Life

Maintaining an active social life is good for your physical health. If you want to feel happy and positive -- and less stressed -- you need to have connections with other people and a busy social life. One caveat is to make sure you adhere to any COVID social distancing measures in place in your area. However, don’t let your friendships get neglected -- even when you’re busy and have other things going on in your life. Doing so can impact your mental and physical wellbeing.

You only have one heart, so its health is something you can’t afford to neglect! If you don’t feel like you’re currently doing enough for your heart health, it’s time to change that. The tips and ideas outlined above will help you take positive steps forward...and ensure your heart health going forward.