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With February being Heart Health Month, we bring you this feature that highlights the innocent things that you may be doing daily that can be hurting your heart (among other parts of your body) and how to fix it!

Healthy Heart Keeping your heart healthy

How you cross your legs,  Sitting with your legs crossed at the knees increases your blood pressure.  According to studies, leg crossing increased systolic blood pressure nearly 7% and diastolic by 2%.  Studies say that you should avoid crossing your legs for long periods of time, like 10 to 15 minutes, and get up every half hour or so to walk around and get the circulation moving.

How you stand, If you are a person who frequently locks their knees when standing, you are no longer efficiently using the muscles that surround the joint.  Therefore, forces to the joint are increased.  Causing this additional stress to you knee joints isn't helping your heart at all.

How you sleep, If you are a stomach sleeper, this puts your neck in a titled-back position, leading to pain or numbness in your upper extremities.  Nerves are also affected when people sleep on their stomach.  To avoid the pain, numbness and affect to the nervous system, people should avoid sleeping on their stomach.

How you wear your belt, It sounds strange, we know, but the tighter your belt the more pressure you put on your intra-abdominal area, which can result in acid reflux.  Acid reflux could include a bitter taste in your mouth, burning or pain the upper chest and stomach, a chronic cough or even difficulty swallowing.  Doctors say that your belt shouldn't be any tighter than your waistband.  You should be able to inhale and exhale comfortably.

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Even though it may seem like winter may never be over, soon enough in just a few short weeks it will be.  But before you gear up for spring and getting back outdoors to take in nature and get some exercise, here are some winter workouts that you need to make time for before the spring flowers bloom.

  • Take a spin class.  These intense indoor cycling classes can burn hundreds of calories and keep your bones strong.
  • Put your swimsuit on and hit up the local indoor pool.  Once spring and summer roll around no one wants to be swimming indoors, but on those cold winter days, nothing feels better than taking some laps in a warm swimming pool.
  • Hit the wall and find somewhere with an indoor rock-climbing wall.  This non-traditional cardio exercise not only exercises your body, but also your brain.   It can also burn up to 650 calories an hour!
  • Ice skating isn't just for kids, figure skaters or hockey players.  Visit your local indoor ice rink (or outdoor ice rink if you have one close by) and tone your legs, core and butt while having fun and stabilizing muscles that assist with balance and coordination.
  • Try a boot camp workout.  Inspired by military training, these “booty-busting” classes are gaining in popularity all over the country and combine strength training moves with high-intensity cardio for a full body workout.
  • Put on your boxing gloves and pretend you are Rocky!  Most gyms or community centers offer basic classes in boxing and because this is such a multi-faceting workout, you will notice that you are toning up more than bulking up the more you try it.
  • Tai chi is another good winter workout to try when the winter blues have got you down.  Tai chi is a low-impact exercise with its roots in ancient China.  Tai chi helps balance yin and yang, improves cardiovascular health, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve balance.

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Once again, we have welcomed a new year.  If your New Year's resolution is to maintain your health and eat better in 2019, then these foods (and drinks) should be on your upcoming grocery list.

Grains:  Dieticians suggest that you increase your intake of oats, barley and rye in 2011.  For years, doctors have been telling patients that eating oats can bring down your cholesterol and recent studies show that rye can, too.  The American Diabetes Association has also noted that eating a diet high in fiber and grains, like rye, can help prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.  Adding barley to your diet, whether it is as a side dish or inside a soup or casserole, can also lower your cholesterol and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Salmon and other oily fish:   If the diagnosis is to get more vitamin D this year, then get your fill with salmon and other oily fish : such as, mackerel, sardines, herring, fresh tuna, trout and anchovies.  Oily fish are some of the only food sources of vitamin D.  These fish are also good for curbing cardiovascular disease.

The American Heart Association recommends eating two servings of oily fish per week but warns against eating too much more than that because some oily fish contain mercury, which can affect your brain and nervous system. 

Soy:  If you want to reduce your risk of cancer, then soy may be your answer.  Research has shown that soy can ward off certain cancers as well as have an impact on your heart.  The Food and Drug Administration states that 25 grams of soy protein a day can reduce heart problems by helping to lower cholesterol levels.  To add soy to your diet, you can find it in soy burgers, tofu and soy milk.  

Red Wine:   While you will rarely hear any doctor advising that you drink any alcohol, red wine may just be the exception. Research shows that antioxidants in red wine, polyphenols, aid in protecting the lining of blood vessels in the heart.  These antioxidants come in the form of flavonoids and nonflavonoids, which red wine has more than any other food or drink.  Experts advise that you should stick to red over white wine because red grapes have 10 times more benefit to your health than white grapes.

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Tired of feeling like the path to health and wellness is a long, drawn out path?  Then start small!  Use these quick five- minute fixes to boost your health and to reach your goals one step at a time!

  • Wear a pedometer to determine the distance you walk each day.  Shoot for 10,000 steps per day.  If you aren't reaching that goal, add an extra mile to your routine or take the steps instead of the escalator whenever possible.
  • Add jumping to your exercise routine : also known as plyometric moves : to build muscle and improve your bone density.  Try jump squats or scissor lunges in your next routine.
  • Spend the extra money to purchase good work out necessities : clothing, shoes, bras, supports, etc.  Purchasing the better brands versus going the cheaper route will ensure that you use them and that they are the best for your workout.
  • Consider the other ways that you can lose weight without really trying : clean the house and burn 200 calories or work in the garden and burn 272 calories.
  • Even if you travel or spend all day in a car or on a plane, still try to fit in physical activity. Take advantage of bathroom breaks by stretching and doing some light exercise.  Walk briskly through the airport in between flights if traveling by plane.
  • Build better bones and as much bone density as you can by doing weight-bearing activities like running or jumping as much as you can in your twenties and thirties.
  • Yoga has many health benefits for your body and your mind.  Even if you are a novice, take a class and try something different.
  • Work out with your significant other or a friend or family member.  This allows you to be a spotting partner for one another or just spend some quality time together working out.

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Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is described as a form of depression that affects people typically in the winter months. Many people who are affected by SAD begin seeing symptoms of their depression in autumn, as the seasons change and the amount of daylight decreases.

Other symptoms of SAD include: loss of appetite, irritability, lack of energy, overeating (especially carbohydrates), lack of socializing, and increased sleep, particularly in the day time. For many people the correlation between the changing of the seasons and their symptoms of depression could simply be the stress of the holidays and the ending of a year, and not be seasonal affective disorder.  Psychologists say that there is a pretty thin line between SAD and event-related stress.

Doctors also believe that the release of melatonin in the brain can also be a factor in SAD.  Melatonin is released due to exposure to the sun, and doctors say that melatonin can influence some bodily rhythms because there is a decrease in daylight during the fall and winter months.

Luckily for those who suffer from seasonal affective disorder there are treatment options.

Depending upon the severity of the disorder, doctors may recommend antidepressant medications, psychological therapy and/or light therapy.

Light therapy seems to be the most effective form of treatment and many people can see results within a few days.  Light therapy involves having the person who suffers from SAD be exposed to a very strong light source, via a light box or a strong lamp.  The sufferer spends a couple hours in the light's rays per day as part of the treatment.

The light required in light therapy must be of enough brightness, typically 25 times brighter than a normal living room light.

And contrary to what many theories state, the light does not need to be actual daylight from the sun. In this case, it is quantity, not necessarily quality of light that matters in light therapy of seasonal affective disorder.