For a long and healthy life, it’s essential to consider your heart health. Below are some effective ways to address your heart health every day:

1. Stop smoking! Quitting smoking is the number one thing you can do to boost your heart health. Did you know that the threat of heart attack for former smokers is the same as it is for non-smokers within three years of quitting?!If you’ve been putting it off, make it your goal to quit this year!
2. Get Moving! The chance of heart disease increases significantly in sedentary people versus people who get regular physical activity. No need to run a marathon – moderate intensity exercise such as walking, swimming or biking are great choices. The key is to keep it regular, and make sure you move every day.
3. Brush & Floss. Did you know that taking care of your teeth is an essential element of heart health? The risk of experiencing a heart attack or a stroke increases by 50% if you have gum disease.
4. Eat Your Fruits & Veggies. Include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. Be sure to enjoy foods that are low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and high in fiber. A healthy, balanced diet helps to prevent high blood cholesterol, and the less sodium you have in your diet, the better.
5. Start Laughing! Laughing can be a great workout for your heart. Each time you chuckle, the blood flow in your heart increases for up to 45 minutes, which is an excellent way to promote heart health.

Hobbies aren’t just for kids – they are fun and worthwhile no matter what your age! Plus, they encourage socialization, physical activity, and promote mental function. Developing new skills is also a great way to build confidence and maintain healthy relationships.

Photography
Photography is wonderful activity that lets you capture beauty as seen through your eyes. Though cameras can be expensive, you don’t need to go out and load up on expensive equipment to reap the benefits of this enjoyable hobby. What matters most is finding a subject you love, whether it be lovely spring flowers, interior shots, or images of your grandkids.

Scrapbooking
Another great way to express creativity is through scrapbooking. Rummaging through old, family photos as well as new pictures of family and friends will definitely put a smile on your face. Plus, making a scrapbook is a nice way of giving those old pictures a fresher look, and scrapbooks also make for wonderful gifts at the holidays.

Arts & Crafts
Arts and crafts make for a popular hobby whether you’re 8 or 80. If you haven’t indulged your inner artist in a while, pick up a paint set or invest in some sketching pencils and get to work!  

Nature Walks
Getting outdoors and enjoying the natural beauty that exists all around is a wonderful way to stay healthy. Invite your friends to join you and start up a walking group. It’s a great way to connect with people while moving your body.

Reading
If your reading materials tend to consist of newspapers and magazines, think about picking up a good book instead. If you’re feeling motivated, perhaps you could start a monthly book club so that you and your friends can discuss the novel together.

Yoga has become an increasingly popular practice over the past few years. With its claims of increasing strength and flexibility while calming the mind, yoga has gained a loyal following of all ages. But, did you know that yoga can actually help you reduce or even reverse the effects of aging? If you haven’t tried yoga before, you may want to start after reading about its profound benefits. (Be sure to check with your doctor before beginning any new exercise regimen!)

• Yoga can counter the effects of aging by moving joints through their full range of motion, which stretches, strengthens, and balances each part. This is important because muscles shorten and joints tighten with age, and yoga stretches the body to relieve stiff joints and lengthen muscles.
• Yoga can help ease the pain associated with osteoarthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Recent studies indicate that yoga may be as effective as drug therapy in controlling hypertension.
• Even after just a few months of a consistent yoga practice, you’ll begin to experience increased feelings of good health and well-being.
• Yoga has been proven to be an effective complementary treatment for musculoskeletal disease and related disorders.
• Calming yoga stretches reduce physical stress and tension while increasing overall relaxation.