February is the month of love, month of hearts. We put so much focus during this month to give love to our loved ones, friends and family. But often times, we forget that the first person we need to focus on is ourselves. Love is not just about giving it to others, ibig sabihin din ng love ay pag papahalaga sa sarili. We need to take care of ourselves first, importante din yun. Our hearts need to be our primary focus, both mentally and physically. Pero paano nga aba?

PHYSICAL CARE

There are various ways to keep our heart healthy physically, simple lang naman ito gawin.

• Exercise
Your heart is also a muscle that can use some exercise. Remember that your heart’s function is to pump blood. By exercising or doing physical activities, you train your heart to do its function better. You can fight off heart failure and high blood pressure by doing this. Mga physical activity na pwede mong gawin ay jogging, dancing, swimming, etc. Without enough activity, you will lose your strength and your stamina.

• Eat Well
What we intake, what we consume will always have an effect in our overall health which is why it is necessary that we eat the right food to keep our hearts in the best shape. Kahit nandidiri ka man o ayaw mo, you NEED to eat some leafy green veggies. Spinach, cabbage, and kale are good examples of leafy greens that are high in fiber. Makaka tulong ito sa pag balance ng cholesterol levels. Salmon is also good for the heart. It’s high omega-3 content can help reduce inflammation and improve arterial function.

• Avoid Vices
Many do not want to hear this, but they need to-- vices such as smoking tobacco and high intake of alcohol ay napaka sama at delikado para sa ating puso. Cigarettes stress out the heart and the lungs. Smoking actually does damage on the lining of the arteries. When this happens, it can lead to a fat buildup, making the arteries narrower. Drinking too much alcohol is also bad because too much of it can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

• Sleep Well
Insufficient hours of sleep can lead to bad results, not just you being groggy, slow and tired all day at work but also lowering your heart rate and blood pressure. Getting enough sleep can help you recharge for a new day and also help your heart have enough strength to do its job throughout the day. Kailangan ng katawan mo ng tulog!

MENTAL CARE

Some of you may think that “Paano connected ang mental care sa heart?” Mental care is also important to keep the heart healthy. Naapektuhan din ng ating mental state ang puso natin.

• Avoid Getting Too Stressed
Too much stress can not only harm your mental state but also your heart’s physical state. When you are in a lot of stress, your heart tends to have a higher heart rate and sometimes, so does your blood pressure. Over time, makakasakit ito ng ating blood vessels.