We're not going to lie, ignoring this article may not kill you. But then again—Heart disease is the #1 killer worldwide. It kills 1 American every 34 seconds. Half of the people who have heart attacks don't even know it. Until maybe even years later. But you know what's really scary? 74% of Americans aren't worried about heart disease. And only 1 in 10 are doing anything to protect themselves! It's February (American Heart Month) so let’s get the word out. Here are 3 steps to a healthier heart. And they're easier than you might think.
Lower Your Stress and Blood Pressure
You can't feel high blood pressure. Make sure you know what your numbers are. Talk to your doctor. You're worth it. And get a massage. (Again, you're worth it.)
Schedule Your Massage Now
One massage session of 45-60 minutes can drop blood pressure by an average of 10 points. And your blood pressure stays lower for several days. As one cardiologist explains, you'd have to take prescription blood pressure medication for life to get this same benefit. And stress? Over a hundred studies over the past decade prove it: massage is an awesome stress reliever. Massage will teach you how to literally relax on demand – even when you're not on the massage table.
Get Your Zzzz's
Dr. Oz says getting "7-8 hours of sleep is the easiest way to protect your heart. And it's free!" Getting enough sleep can actually lower your risk of death from heart disease by a whopping 83%. "Sleep environment is a huge factor in getting good sleep," says Johns Hopkins neurologist and sleep specialist Rachel E. Salas, M.D. Lights and electronics are the worst offenders. Keep TV's, computers, phones and e-readers out of your bedroom. Or shut them off at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
Suffer from allergies? A stuffy nose and breathing through the mouth can constantly wake you up feeling thirsty. Remove your carpets. Or at least vacuum them often. And change your bed sheets weekly to keep dust away. Need more help? Ask your doctor about antihistamines. Alcohol does NOT help you sleep better either. It's a total myth. Caffeine hurts sleep too. It takes your body 6 hours to rid itself of caffeine. So never take it close to bed time. Try to go to bed and wake up at about the same time. Follow the same routine before bed. This tells your brain that it's time to sleep. Exercise can really help you sleep better too. (Besides, being sedentary causes all kinds of heart problems.) But hands down, if you really want better sleep, massage therapy is amazing. Dozens of studies here. Countless health challenges. If massage can help them get better sleep, it can help you too.
Drop Your Weight
Ah yes, wouldn't we all like to be XYZ pounds less/sizes smaller? Dr. Oz says "dropping your weight just 10 lbs reduces your risk of heart disease." Well, we all know about that big, juicy, fast food burger. And the oh-so-tempting movie popcorn loaded with trans fat. And the diet soda. And those mocha-frappa-cappuccino thingies probably aren't the best either. Changing habits can be hard. No one can force you to say "Enough is enough! Never again!" And mean it. We certainly won’t try to scare you into it. :) And it's true. Reality may change more slowly for someone who is 400 pounds. But anyone (and we mean anyone) can change their attitude in an instant. Change your attitude, change your life. Here's what most people don’t know... You can get a weight loss massage. A what? How can a massage help you lose weight? Well, massage doesn't magically burn fat. But it IS one of the few delicious treats in life that isn't fattening. Here's what massage DOES do to help you lose weight: Stress creates the hormone cortisol. Doctors say cortisol is what piles on the belly, thigh and buttocks fat in your body. But massage reduces cortisol. And stress too. This helps to keep the fat away. Not only this, massage increases circulation, blood flow and helps your body remove toxins. Doctors say this boosts your metabolism and helps your body lose fat too. Some doctors now feel that massaging areas where fat has accumulated will help your body get rid of this unwanted fat. And if you're working out hard, massage will certainly help your body get rid of lactic acid. So you can recover more quickly and exercise more easily.
What Are You Going To Do About It?
What if you already suffer from a serious heart disorder? Is there nothing you can do? Check out our next article. There's help on the way! So few people are actually doing anything to prevent heart disease. Yet it's a lifestyle thing. Something you can do something about. What will you do? Will you lower your stress, blood pressure, your weight and get more sleep? We hope so. We're done with our smoothies now. Time to hit the gym.
Life takes it out of you. We'd love to help you put it back in. How can we help you personally?
Call us at 303-920-2350 with any questions, concerns or to find out how massage and essential oils can make life better for you.
Sarah Shropshire
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