THE PATH TO YOUR SUCCESS INCLUDES CHOICES
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February is American Heart Month
February is American Heart Month, so we want to ask – how healthy is your heart? Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. But the good news is, with healthy choices and the management of health conditions, heart disease can often be prevented. Make sure you are doing everything you can to keep your heart healthy and strong with the following tips for a healthy heart:
1. Get a check up. In general, you should be getting a check up at least once a year. If it has been more than a year or you can’t even remember the last time you saw your doctor, now is a great time to get yourself checked out and get the right tests done to make sure your heart is healthy. Ask about blood pressure tests, cholesterol tests, diabetes screening and seek counseling if you need extra guidance. Learn about prevention for conditions you may be at risk for. Keep cholesterol and blood pressure in check. Cholesterol is one of the major controllable risk factors for heart disease and heart attack. When there is too much LDL (“bad”) cholesterol circulating in your blood, it can slowly build up in your arteries and create plaque that can narrow your arteries. If a clot forms, it can block a narrowed artery and a heart attack or stroke can happen. High blood pressure can damage your heart and arteries by placing too much pressure on them. This can cause microscopic tears in the walls of your arteries. If you are already at risk for heart disease, or take medication for blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes, follow the instructions carefully. Manage your symptoms and medications carefully with your doctor.
2. Eat right. Having a healthy diet is great for your weight loss but can also help prevent heart disease and improve heart health. Reduce trans fats and steer clear of foods high in sodium. Look for foods with protein, fiber and Omega-3. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation in the body and can prevent damage to bloods vessels that can cause heart disease. Salmon is a great source of Omega-3 (as well as many other vitamins and minerals) which makes it such a smart choice for heart health. Look for protein in legumes such as beans, peas and lentils. They are great for your heart because they have no cholesterol. Nuts such as walnuts and cashews are also extremely healthy sources of protein. Fruits with antioxidants like blueberries help remove free radicals (harmful molecules that can contribute to heart disease) with their powerful antioxidants. Spinach is one of the healthiest foods for your heart with Omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. It has a particularly high amount of folate, which is important for building and maintaining healthy cells – especially red blood cells needed for heart health. Ground flaxseed is also high in Omega-3 and fiber and can be added to yogurt, quinoa and even mustard for an extra healthy meal or snack.
3. Don’t smoke and limit alcohol use. Alcohol can increase the risk of high blood pressure and heavy drinking can weaken the heart muscle. Smoking is also a risk factor for high blood pressure as well as heart failure and coronary artery disease which can lead to heart attack.
4. Exercise regularly. Check with your doctor first to know how much activity is good for you, but exercise is the best way to build a strong heart. Walking is the simplest way to get your blood pumping. Swimming, cycling, skating, and jumping rope are also great ways to move you body and step it up a little more. A class like Zumba or Soul Cycle can be a fun way to get your heart pumping, just make sure you can handle this cardio workout. Weight training and resistance bands will help you stay in shape and can increase “good” cholesterol, and working with a trainer can help make sure you get a personalized and safe work out. Yoga is also a great heart healthy activity that combines stretching, breathing and relaxation – something that is important to our last heart heath tip.
5. Limit stress. Identify your sources of stress such as anxiety, aches and pains, trouble sleeping, and fatigue. Learn techniques to reduce stress, like deep breathing, meditation, guided muscle relaxation and yoga. Get plenty of rest as often as you can. Clear your mind of nagging worries and let go of things you can’t control. Spending time stressing about other people or situations you can’t control will just take away all your energy and put stress your body. Take 10 minutes to get some air and take a break every day. Most of all, take care of yourself.
~ Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick
Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness
8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797
469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018
FitnessHealthy TipsLifestyle
February is American Heart Month
February is American Heart Month, so we want to ask – how healthy is your heart? Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. But the good news is, with healthy choices and the management of health conditions, heart disease can often be prevented. Make sure you are doing everything you can to keep your heart healthy and strong with the following tips for a healthy heart:
1. Get a check up. In general, you should be getting a check up at least once a year. If it has been more than a year or you can’t even remember the last time you saw your doctor, now is a great time to get yourself checked out and get the right tests done to make sure your heart is healthy. Ask about blood pressure tests, cholesterol tests, diabetes screening and seek counseling if you need extra guidance. Learn about prevention for conditions you may be at risk for. Keep cholesterol and blood pressure in check. Cholesterol is one of the major controllable risk factors for heart disease and heart attack. When there is too much LDL (“bad”) cholesterol circulating in your blood, it can slowly build up in your arteries and create plaque that can narrow your arteries. If a clot forms, it can block a narrowed artery and a heart attack or stroke can happen. High blood pressure can damage your heart and arteries by placing too much pressure on them. This can cause microscopic tears in the walls of your arteries. If you are already at risk for heart disease, or take medication for blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes, follow the instructions carefully. Manage your symptoms and medications carefully with your doctor.
2. Eat right. Having a healthy diet is great for your weight loss but can also help prevent heart disease and improve heart health. Reduce trans fats and steer clear of foods high in sodium. Look for foods with protein, fiber and Omega-3. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation in the body and can prevent damage to bloods vessels that can cause heart disease. Salmon is a great source of Omega-3 (as well as many other vitamins and minerals) which makes it such a smart choice for heart health. Look for protein in legumes such as beans, peas and lentils. They are great for your heart because they have no cholesterol. Nuts such as walnuts and cashews are also extremely healthy sources of protein. Fruits with antioxidants like blueberries help remove free radicals (harmful molecules that can contribute to heart disease) with their powerful antioxidants. Spinach is one of the healthiest foods for your heart with Omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. It has a particularly high amount of folate, which is important for building and maintaining healthy cells – especially red blood cells needed for heart health. Ground flaxseed is also high in Omega-3 and fiber and can be added to yogurt, quinoa and even mustard for an extra healthy meal or snack.
3. Don’t smoke and limit alcohol use. Alcohol can increase the risk of high blood pressure and heavy drinking can weaken the heart muscle. Smoking is also a risk factor for high blood pressure as well as heart failure and coronary artery disease which can lead to heart attack.
4. Exercise regularly. Check with your doctor first to know how much activity is good for you, but exercise is the best way to build a strong heart. Walking is the simplest way to get your blood pumping. Swimming, cycling, skating, and jumping rope are also great ways to move you body and step it up a little more. A class like Zumba or Soul Cycle can be a fun way to get your heart pumping, just make sure you can handle this cardio workout. Weight training and resistance bands will help you stay in shape and can increase “good” cholesterol, and working with a trainer can help make sure you get a personalized and safe work out. Yoga is also a great heart healthy activity that combines stretching, breathing and relaxation – something that is important to our last heart heath tip.
5. Limit stress. Identify your sources of stress such as anxiety, aches and pains, trouble sleeping, and fatigue. Learn techniques to reduce stress, like deep breathing, meditation, guided muscle relaxation and yoga. Get plenty of rest as often as you can. Clear your mind of nagging worries and let go of things you can’t control. Spending time stressing about other people or situations you can’t control will just take away all your energy and put stress your body. Take 10 minutes to get some air and take a break every day. Most of all, take care of yourself.
~ Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick
Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness
8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797
469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018
FitnessHealthy TipsLifestyle
Make Healthy Habits Stick
We’ve all felt that excitement and anticipation when trying something new or making a change. We are hopeful and motivated for the future and nervous about the road ahead at the same time. But once those beginning jitters go away, how do we keep ourselves on track? Reaching a weight loss goal can be a long and difficult path to success, but the habits you form in the beginning will help get you there. The little changes and progress you make every day will add up in no time, and the longer you stick to your healthy habits, the more you will benefit and the easier it will all become over time.
You have to start by committing to a goal. It may seem unnecessary, but making your goal something specific and attainable can help you form habits to get you there. Once you pick something, break it down in to smaller steps that you can work on each week and each day. For example, if you want to make a certain amount of progress by a certain date, break it down week by week to help you stay motivated. Seeing yourself lose each week will make you want to try even harder the next week and soon you will feel really good about your healthy habits when you see how they are working for you.
As much as we try, it is inevitable that there will be bumps in the road. When you have a craving, think it through. 10 minutes from now do you want to feel guilty or proud? Think about the benefits and the downsides and make your choice with logic and a clear head. None of us are perfect, but you do have a choice when something doesn’t happen the way we want it to: give up or learn from it. Understanding the real reason why you can’t stick to your habits or why you haven’t been able to make it work in the past can help you find success this time. Move forward with new understanding but don’t be hard on yourself. Making a major change in your life can require constant effort and be quite exhausting, but the new habits you form from hard work and dedication will help you reach your goals and sustain a healthy lifestyle. Slowly, it will become easier and easier to make the healthy choices until they become habit.
An important part of making smart choices is having a plan and being prepared. If you want to eat clean, you have to have healthy food in your home or a plan when you eat out. Make a grocery list, check restaurant menus ahead of time, plan your meals and snacks – do whatever it takes to give yourself a helping hand.
The definition of a habit is an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary. You may feel nervous and impatient in the beginning, but even the smallest changes you make are setting you on the right path. The work you do day in and day out may feel tedious sometimes but you are rebuilding your lifestyle while also losing weight. It takes time and hard work but that’s what makes it worth it.
~ Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick
Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness
8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797
469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018
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