It’s Time to Nourish and Celebrate Your Heart

February is American Heart Month! A whole month dedicated to celebrating the muscle that is your heart and bringing awareness to the importance of cardiovascular health. And for good reason, because your heart is truly an amazing part of your body, and it deserves the best care possible. 

So in celebration of American Heart Month, here are some facts about the human heart that you may not know: 

1. A normal human heart valve is about the size of a half-dollar. 
2. Your heart is about the size of your two hands clasped together. 
3. On average, your heart beats 100,000 times (or more) per day.
4. Your heart pumps approximately 1.5 gallons of blood each minute. 
5. The heart has its own electrical supply and will continue to beat when separated from your body. 
6. The cells that make up your corneas are the only ones in your body that do not get blood from your heart. 

It’s truly amazing, isn’t it? Your heart weighs less than a pound and yet it’s responsible for supplying your whole body with blood and oxygen! It’s literally the core of who you are, and there’s no doubt that it deserves the best care possible. So how do you make sure your heart is up to the task? Try some of our favorite heart-healthy tips. 

1. Eat more whole foods: There’s no doubt about it. Whole foods are just better for you, especially when it comes to heart health. Not only do they provide your body, including your heart, with the nutrients it needs to function properly, but they also lack trans fats and tend to have little (if any) sodium, which are both known to wreak havoc on your heart. So skip the prepackaged dinners and replace them with yummy whole-foods goodness instead.
2. Sit less, move more: Exercise is often touted as the best way to take care of your heart and for good reason. Adding more movement (and less sitting) to your day keeps your blood flowing and gets your heart rate up. Furthermore, it can help your muscles be better equipped to pull oxygen out of your blood, which means your heart won’t have to work overtime to pump extra blood to those muscles. From taking breaks from work to stroll around the office to hitting the gym for an hour every evening, there are a variety of ways you can add more movement to your day. And trust us, your heart will thank you for it.
3. Think before you drink: The beverages you drink are as important as the food you eat. Your heart works hard to keep pumping blood throughout your body. This job gets substantially more difficult if you are dehydrated. So take a second to consider the beverages you are drinking. Avoid less hydrating drinks like sodas and coffee and opt for healthier options like water or herbal tea instead.
4. Tell a joke: Laughing comes with a number of health benefits, but it’s especially great for your heart. For starters, laughing helps us relax and let go of stress, which helps open up our blood vessels to improve blood flow. Additionally, when you laugh you’ll start to take more deep breaths and your heart rate will increase, which is exactly what you want in order to keep your heart as strong as possible. So go ahead, tell a few jokes (and laugh at them too)!
5. Don’t forget to brush and floss: Believe it or not, dental hygiene plays a role in heart health. Brushing your teeth (and flossing) regularly helps clear out any bacteria that may be lingering in your mouth. If those bacteria were left to linger, there’s a chance they can find their way into your bloodstream and negatively impact your heart health.
6. Nourish and Energize Your Body: Beyond the food you consume, the best way to ensure your heart is getting all the nutrients it needs is with whole food supplements, and Energize is the perfect place to start. At the core of this powerful formula is ubiquinol the bioactive form of CoQ10. Ubiquinol is a naturally occurring fat-soluble substance that resembles a vitamin. It is found in tissues like your heart, liver, and kidneys that require the most energy. As an antioxidant, CoQ10 promotes a healthy heart and cardiovascular system; however, your body’s ability to produce it naturally declines with age. That’s why getting it from supplements like Energize is so important. 

Celebrate American Heart Month and Live the #NewEarthLife

Loving and taking care of your heart and the rest of your body by providing it with the care and nourishment it deserves is part of living the #NewEarthLife. So we invite you to join us in celebrating your heart and taking steps to take care of it this month and beyond.