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Health & Fitness

Honoring the Hearts of Many on Memorial Day

Honoring the lives of those before us on Memorial Day carries an essence that touches all of our hearts. To honor those in memory, I wrote this heart healthy post.

Memorial Day is coming and it’s a time I value so much because of the essence of the holiday.  To me, the essence is deep.  It is about honoring those who preceded us and gifted us the freedoms we enjoy today.  Because it is so heart-filled to me, I am blogging about heart health as a form of honoring those who helped make our country so special. 

Nearly 600,000 lives are lost each year in America due to heart disease.  Because heart disease is such a major health concern, people often wonder what they can do to prevent heart disease or perhaps improve his/her heart condition if s/he is dealing with a heart related health concern.  There are 6 major aspects I have researched and seen with my own clients to be helpful for helping the heart that I’d like to share. 

1. Walking or participating in light cardiovascular exercise – Any type of light aerobic exercise helps strengthen the heart’s musculature, which in turn gets the blood moving to increase oxygen and nutrient flow throughout the body.

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2. Strength Training – Strength training or resistance training 2-3 times per week fosters the improvement of the mitochondrial activity (energy powerhouses of the cell) to improve the strength of the heart.   

3Eating heart healthy food sources - Nuts and olive oil are very healthy fats that contain omega-3 fatty acids proven to support cardiovascular function.  Fruits and vegetables contain many antioxidants, which also help cardiac cells to function optimally. 

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4. Practicing Gratitude – The practice of gratitude has many heart health benefits, which I elaborated on in my blog A Secret to True Health Beyond Fitness & Food.

5. Meditating, Praying, or Journaling – Various forms of meditation have been shown to be effective for lowering blood pressure. 

Different types of prayer are also healthful as a Duke study of a group of 4,000 people over age 64 found that those who prayed regularly had significantly lower blood pressure than those who prayed intermittently.

Journaling is also a healthy means to express emotions to alleviate burdens that may be troubling your heart.  I have found tremendous value in journaling about forgiveness.  Journaling about forgiveness is a challenging practice, but as you get through it (which may take a long time), the level of internal freedom is tremendous, not to mention the benefits that your heart will enjoy.   

6. Consider Tested and True Dietary Supplements – The American Journal of Medicine released a study suggesting that multivitamins are a great natural inflammation fighter, which is helpful for blood vessel function.  In addition, Coezyme Q-10 or CoQ-10 is a popular supplement that may improve the strength of the heart.  I recently spoke about CoQ-10 at Court House Fitness and Wellness during my first presentation called “Spotlight:Supplements – An Informed Approach” and my friend Perne Maynard filmed that segment, which I’d like to share. Click here to see video.  

I hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend and keep memories of those who gave their lives for our freedom close to your heart this weekend! 

About the author:

Dave Barnas is the author of the Real Food Therapy Guide and co-owner of True Health Unlimited, LLC – website and facebook page.  He will be sharing “Heart Helper” smoothies on Saturday June 2 from 12-2pm at Whole Foods Market Bishops Corner based on the Real Food Therapy Guide.  

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