5 Ways to Celebrate a Healthy Heart During National Heart Health Month
February is National Heart Health Month, and to help you get in the spirit, we here at Floradapt have pulled together a few fun ideas for how to celebrate your heart health. You may be wondering: Are probiotics good for the heart? Indeed, probiotics can affect the heart—especially the scientifically targeted probiotic strains in Floradapt’s Cardio Probiotic—and can play an important role in maintaining strong and robust heart health for healthy individuals like you.* There are plenty of other ways to get to the heart of health, too.
Related: Do Probiotics Benefit Heart Health?
Check out our roundup of fun, heart healthy activities you can try to celebrate National Heart Health Month this time of year and all year round.
1. Snack on a Delicious, Healthy Treat
At Floradapt, we know that overall health begins in the gut—but did you know that what you eat, and how well you maintain your gut health, is also key to heart health? Eating right and modifying your diet to limit risk factors for cardiac disorders like high cholesterol, obesity, and high blood pressure will help you feel good about your heart health—and your gut, too.
Try taking time out of your day to make yourself a bite to eat that’s healthy and gut-friendly. Recipes which are low FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) have been shown to help some folks with digestive problems by cutting down on the amount of short-chain carbohydrates (essentially sugars) that the small intestine has trouble digesting. There are all kinds of recipes that offer low FODMAP versions of favorites like deviled eggs, oatmeal cups, and more.
Another great way to help your heart health through your diet is to ensure that you incorporate probiotics into your meals and snacks. Lots of snack foods like yogurt, kimchi, sour pickles and more have naturally occurring probiotics. You could also give our Gut Comfort probiotic a try—it’s full of pure probiotic strains carefully targeted to help maintain a healthy gut.
2. Share the Love
Keeping up with proper heart health means taking care of your emotional side, too. Why not share the love this month by reaching out to an old friend. Studies have shown that people who prioritize personal relationships can experience greater heart health overall. You could also try writing a heartfelt note for Valentine’s Day—whether to a respected mentor, a romantic partner, or a beloved family member. One of the best ways to celebrate heart health is to spread love.
3. Put Some Heart Into Your Community
In the same way, community is good for our hearts. Make a plan this month to do something nice for a stranger—maybe take care of someone else’s check when you’re out a restaurant, or hold the door for someone carrying a lot of heavy things. Sign up to volunteer for a worthy cause, and build on the work that a nonprofit or charity is doing for the larger community. When you volunteer, your heart health is bolstered. Maybe even get literal with it and register to take a CPR class—you never know when someone’s heart could use a hand. When you’re thinking about how to improve heart health, don’t forget that our hearts could use a little company, too.
4. Pump Yourself Up
Then of course, there is exercise, one of the most popular tips for improving heart health. It’s true, a great way to keep your heart healthy is to get out and get active.** Be sure to start off slow, if you’re not used to pushing yourself too hard. Perhaps begin with a weekly walk, or a brisk stroll around the park with friends every now and then. As exercise gets easier, you could build up to more high-intensity activities like dancing, roller skating, or taking up a new team sport. Find an accountability group to join for whatever exercise you prefer—sticking to an exercise routine is much easier when you do it with a group of friends and companions.
5. Keep Your Finger on the Pulse of Probiotics
Last but not least, celebrate National Heart Health Month by learning about probiotics and how they can support a healthy heart and your overall health. After all, your heart is just one part—albeit an important one—in your health. Here at Floradapt, we want to equip you to take the best care of yourself possible. Check out our resources on probiotics, and make time to learn about the Floradapt difference.
Read more: Probiotics Buyer’s Guide
There are so many ways—and so many good reasons—to celebrate a healthy heart, and we hope that this blog has given you a few ideas. If you are considering probiotics for heart health, try our Floradapt Cardio Probiotic today.
*FDA statement
**Before starting any new exercise program, be sure to consult your doctor.