Three Self-Care Tips for a Healthy Heart
At Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP), the Physical Health and Wellness team makes it their mission to offer plans and programs for injured veterans to maintain a healthy heart.
WWP is kickstarting American Heart Month with helpful self-care tips to incorporate into everyday life. It’s no secret that the cornerstone organ of the human body, the heart, requires some attention. While it may seem like a daunting task, incorporating these daily actions a little bit at a time can help improve heart health and support overall physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
“Wellness is 360 degrees of self-care,” said Antonio Bonfiglio, a WWP Physical Health and Wellness coach. “There’s a physical, mental, and emotional side, and overall wellness is what you get from taking care of all three. It’s essentially the byproduct of exercising, eating better, sleeping more, and taking care of your mental health.”
Here are three self-care tips for maintaining a healthy heart:
1. Stress Management – When stress arises, our body releases chemicals that send signals to the rest of our body, affecting our mood, sleep, and appetite. When stressed, some people may turn to comfort foods, smoking, or alcohol, all of which can be heart-damaging behaviors. Instead, acknowledge when stress is present and lean on healthier heart options to help reduce your stress like meditation, exercise, reading, or even completely unplugging from technology for a bit. All of these can help relax the mind and body, helping your heart in the long run.
2. Home Cooking – Your heart and nutrition are directly linked. The best way to limit sodium and unhealthy fats is to cook food yourself. That way you know what you are putting into your body and can control how much, helping your overall heart health. Without extra fat, sugar, or salt, a balanced diet allows your body to run efficiently and keeps your arteries and heart clear. Nutrition and stress management go hand-in-hand, so when cooking, keep these in mind: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
3. Walk Often – Walking is generally easy to do and, when you think about it, we’ve been doing it for most of our lives. Walking, or any form of exercise, reduces cardiac risk factors like blood pressure, obesity, and cholesterol, which directly affect your overall heart health. If you can walk, take a leisure stroll every day or try going on a scenic hike. Then next time you’re out, go a little bit further in distance. If you can’t, try and get some fresh air when possible. Aim for at least 30 minutes outdoors every day. A little bit of vitamin D goes a long way for the mind, body, and soul.
The Physical Health and Wellness program emphasizes that the best tip is to simply start – don’t allow excuses to get in the way. Whether you have five minutes or 30 minutes, do something more today than you did yesterday. Commit yourself and have the discipline to not only start today but tomorrow and the next day and so on, until you gain the momentum to keep going.
“Remember to celebrate your wins, no matter how big or small, and encourage others to join you on your health journey,” says Antonio.
If you’re a registered warrior or family support member, join the #WWPFit movement – a campaign to empower warriors to make long-term changes toward a healthier life through movement, nutritional education, coaching, goal setting, and skill-building. Visit the WWP Live Facebook page or use the hashtag #WWPFit to connect and engage online. For more information on how to get involved, click here.
Contact: — Krissty Andaur - Public Relations, kandaur@woundedwarriorproject.org, 904.760.6957
About Wounded Warrior Project
Since 2003, Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) has been meeting the growing needs of warriors, their families, and caregivers — helping them achieve their highest ambition. Learn more.