Healthy Heart tips

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Healthy Heart tips


More than half of all heart attacks occur during the winter months. Cold air raises your blood pressure and inflammation levels. Season infections make your blood stickier and more likely to clot. However, there are some steps you can take to lower your risk of having a heart attack during the cold part of the year.

* Thin your blood in the morning. According to a Mayo Clinic study, a person's risk of heart attack in the winter months increases at least 30% in the first few hours after waking. After a long night's sleep, especially in the winter, we tend to get dehydrated which makes our blood stickier and more susceptible to clotting. Therefore, you should try to drink a least 8 ounces of water within 15 minutes of walking up each morning.
* Drink your hot chocolate. What, you might ask? Yes, it is true. A cup of hot chocolate contains powerful antioxidants which can lower your blood pressure by 4 points. That is enough to cut your risk for heart attack by 10%.
* Bundle up in the cold weather. Your mom was right. As the temperature goes down, you blood vessels tighten to prevent heat loss. This tightening makes the blood vessels inflexible, which can make your blood pressure go up. So, be sure to bundle up when you go outside in the cold weather. And if you tend to be chilly when you are inside, then wear a sweater.
* Get your flu shot Heart attack risk can triple in the 10 days following a bout with the flu. While your body is fighting the flu, your immune system produces inflammatory compounds that can damage artery walls, plus trigger dangerous blood clots. So, make it a habit to get an annual flu shot.

Heart disease is serious and anything you can do to prevent it should be a top priority for you. Be sure and take these precautions during the winter months to keep your heart as healthy as possible.

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