6 Things to Keep Your Heart Healthy

Did you know that February comes from the Latin word, februa, which means, “to cleanse”?

There’s no better month than February to cleanse your body and keep your heart healthy—and did we mention it’s also American Heart Health Awareness month?!

That’s why the intention that February represents is so special…

A cleansing. A removal of all those mile-high expectations lingering from January’s resolutions. And a time to reflect on what it is you truly long for this year.

At Thryv Organics, we believe that a healthy heart should be something that everyone gets to experience, and we’re here to show you our six favorite ways to keep that heart of yours beating like it does when you watch your favorite romance movie. ;)

1. Stress Less to Keep Your Heart Healthy

Stress...something that is all too prevalent in the lives of those living in the 21st Century. If you’ve ever felt an elephant on your chest, you’ve experienced stress.

If you’re someone who tends to have a to-do list the length of a short novel, you’ve probably tried a LOT of different stress-relievers.

Some may work, but the majority of them don’t. Lucky for you, there’s a simple technique that can calm even the most active mind...

Breathwork.

If you haven’t heard of breathwork, basically it’s a set of breathing techniques that open up your airways, calm anxious breathing, and give you an extra energy boost.

As Breathwork Coach, Gwen Dittmar, says, “As we breathe out thoughts, beliefs, memories, actions that do not support our growth, we return to our wholeness and feel more equipped to handle stress, anxiety, and lingering trauma.”

And because breathwork gives you something to focus on (i.e. your breath), it allows you to enter a calmer state much faster than if you were to meditate.

Just 10 minutes of breathwork can make a profound difference in the way you feel throughout the day. All you need to do is do a quick YouTube search and you’ll be breathing with benefits in no time.

You can also explore different breathing techniques here.

2. Use CBD Daily to "Calm" Your Heart

With the dozens of benefits that cannabidiol (CBD) touts, it’s amazing that the U.S. banned it for so long.

CBD—a natural compound derived from the hemp plant—works directly with your body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). That’s an unnecessarily long word, so allow us to explain...

In short, your ECS has these things called CB1 and CB2 receptors, and these receptors are activated when you consume CBD. Basically, your body was created to crave CBD.

Because when you do consume CBD, you’re actually putting your ECS back into balance.

Think of it like this: When your ECS is out of balance, you feel inflamed, anxious, and a little “off”. However, when your ECS is in balance, you feel energized, calm, and free of pain.

Quite honestly, CBD should be all of our valentines this year...

In a recent study done in 2017, it was found that CBD reduces the blood pressure response to stress. So, even when the volunteers’ heart rate increased with cardiac output, their blood pressure and stroke volume decreased. This then reduces the risk of stroke and heart disease.

Although this is promising news, further research is still required in order for us to know whether CBD has a role in the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

CBD does help with anxiety though. In fact, it’s the #1 reason why people use CBD.

A customer favorite is our Everyday Softgels. The best part about these is that it’s a measured dose of 25 milligrams per softgel, so you don’t have to worry about measuring out your dose!

But, if you’d rather start lower and measure out your own dose, our Full-Spectrum CBD Oil Tincture will be perfect for you.

Tip: Start low and go slow. Everyone is different, and therefore everyone takes CBD for different needs. If I need 25 milligrams, you may only need 15. When in doubt, schedule a consult with one of our CBD experts. They’ll help you find your CBD sweet spot!

3. Get Moving to Keep Your Heart Grooving

We're big believers in exercising for FUN.

So, no, your daily workout doesn’t need to be something you rush through just to check it off your to-do list. And you definitely don’t need to go run five miles either.

Try swapping the workouts that you dread for something that gets you excited and motivated to move that precious body of yours.

Fun Workout Ideas for Optimized Heart Health

  • Take your dog on a walk around your neighborhood or a nearby park
  • Go geocaching with a friend
  • Search for a Zumba or yoga video on YouTube
  • Do a partner workout like this one
  • Go on a bike ride

The moral of the story: Get moving, have fun, and appreciate your body and all that it does for you!

4. "Crowd Out" Your Plate

One of the easiest ways to eat (and stick with) a healthy diet is to crowd out your plate with whole foods.

Crowding out simply means filling up on your fruits and veggies so that you’re less likely to reach for that bag of potato chips.

Check out the photos below to see what 200 calories looks like in different foods—

As you can see, 200 calories of broccoli is a LOT more than 200 calories of potato chips. So when you crowd out your plate with veggies, you’re actually able to eat a lot more food!

Here are a few heart-healthy tips that you can start implementing today:

  • Swap fruit juice for whole fruit
  • Drink more water
    • Females: 11.5 Cups
    • Males: 15.5 Cups
  • Add a salad to your day
  • Swap regular pasta noodles for zucchini or sweet potato noodles
  • Swap white or brown rice for cauliflower rice
  • Opt for organic foods (& CBD!)—especially those that are on the Dirty Dozen list
  • Cut back on food and beverages with added sugars

Tip: Add these heart-healthy foods to your grocery list this week!

5. Get Your Daily Dose of Social Interaction

Fact: Your heart health may be directly correlated to the amount of social interaction you have.

A recent study showed that adults with low social interaction not only had an increased risk for heart disease (29%) and stroke (32%), they had an increased risk of mortality.

So the next time you think about cancelling your plans with a friend, think again...your heart will thank you for it.

6. Hydrate Your Heart

Did you know that dehydration strains on your heart?

Basically, the amount of blood circulating through your body decreases when you’re dehydrated. And when this happens, your heart beats faster which increases palpitations, thus, straining your heart.

Wondering how much water you should drink in a day?

Sports medicine physician and American Heart Association volunteer, John Batson, says that “the amount of water a person needs depends on climatic conditions, clothing worn and exercise intensity and duration.”

Tip: If you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. Batson says to pay attention to the color of your urine—pale and clear means you’re well hydrated. If it’s dark, drink more water.

Final Thoughts: Turn Your Sweethearts into a Healthy Heart

February is 28 days of love, heart-shaped chocolates, and red wine, but it can also be 28 days of loving yourself.

Dedicate this month to cleansing your mind, body, and soul with the six heart-healthy tips above.

We find that choosing just one thing to focus on each month will produce greater results in the long run. Which tip are you going to go all-in on this month?

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