Physical exercise

What can I do to prevent heart disease?

You can reduce your chances of getting heart disease by taking these steps:

Take action to reduce heart disease risk: Be physically active Don’t smoke Eat healthy Maintain a normal weight Know your numbers (blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides)

• Know your blood pressure.

  Years of high blood pressure
  can lead to heart disease. People with high blood pressure often have
  no symptoms, so have your blood pressure checked every 1 to 2 years and
  get treatment if you need it.

• Don’t smoke. If you smoke, try to quit. If you’re having trouble quitting, there are products and programs that can help:
  • Nicotine patches and gums
  • Support groups
  • Programs to help you stop smoking

  Ask your doctor or nurse for help. For more information on quitting, visit Quitting Smoking.

• Get tested for diabetes.
  People with diabetes have high blood glucose (often called blood
  sugar). People with high blood glucose often have no symptoms, so have
  your blood glucose checked regularly. Having diabetes raises your
  chances of getting heart disease. If you have diabetes, your doctor
  will decide if you need diabetes pills or insulin shots. Your doctor
  can also help you make a healthy eating and exercise plan.
• Get your cholesterol and triglyceride levels tested.
  High blood cholesterol (koh-LESS-tur-ol) can clog your arteries and
  keep your heart from getting the blood it needs. This can cause a heart
  attack. Triglycerides (treye-GLIH-suh-ryds) are a form of fat in your
  blood stream. High levels of triglycerides are linked to heart disease
  in some people. People with high blood cholesterol or high blood
  triglycerides often have no symptoms, so have both levels checked
  regularly. If your levels are high, talk to your doctor about what you can do to lower them.
  You may be able to lower your both levels by eating better and
  exercising more. Your doctor may prescribe medication to help lower
  your cholesterol.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight raises your risk for heart disease. Calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI)
  to see if you are at a healthy weight. Healthy food choices and
  physical activity are important to staying at a healthy weight:
  • Start by adding more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to your diet.
  • Each
    week, aim to get at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate physical
    activity, 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous physical activity, or a
    combination of moderate and vigorous activity.
• If you drink alcohol, limit it to no more
  than one drink (one 12 ounce beer, one 5 ounce glass of wine, or one
  1.5 ounce shot of hard liquor) a day.
• Find healthy ways to cope with stress. Lower your stress level by talking to your friends, exercising, or writing in a journal.

Physical exercise

Mommy Burnout – 6 Ways To Lose It

Feeling burnout as a Mom is very common. It does not mean that you are failing as a Mother. It’s mostly due to the isolation that a lot of Moms face in our culture, as well as the overscheduling and overwork that a lot of us deal with.

Here are 6 things you can do to prevent burnout and treat it if it comes up.

Find your tribe

Find a support group of like minded Moms. There are neighbors, people you worship with, family, Moms at storytime, the park, or anywhere else Moms hang out. It’s extremely important for Moms to have a social network. Talk about your feelings with someone who won’t judge you, and return the favor. Spend time with good friends, and don’t forget to nurture your relationship with your spouse.

Set boundaries

Setting good boundaries isn’t just about limits with your kids. Boundaries are something that protect you from being overburdened with other people’s responsibilities. Learn to say no to things that don’t honor your values, and don’t overextend yourself.

Lose the guilt

Don’t feel like you’re a bad Mom because you feel burnout from time to time. In fact, you are probably a very conscientious Mom who is neglecting her own needs! Be as forgiving and empathic with yourself as you are with your kids, and remember, when you take care of your own needs, you’re in better shape to care for your family. It’s kind of like when the flight attendant tells you to put on your own oxygen mask first in case of emergency!

Take care of your body

Eating poorly leads to fatigue and stress. Nurture your body with healthy foods and avoid excessive caffeine and sugar, which only deplete you.

Exercise is also very important because it helps you deal with stress and floods your body with endorphins, the “feel good hormones”. Don’t make excuses! Get moving for 20 minutes a day. It doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. Walking is one of the best exercises you can do.

Exercise is also good for the kids because it helps them discharge excess energy that they may have from being inside too much.

Spending some time every day in the sun is also a good idea. Sunlight improves mood and helps you sleep better.

Take a break

Nurture yourself every single day in small ways. Take a hot bath by yourself. Go outside for a few minutes and breathe deeply. Say your prayers, journal, pursue a hobby that you love. Even if all you can do are 5 minute increments, take the time!

Focus on what’s truly important

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, remind yourself that the most important things on your to do list are your children, not the dishes or the dusty blinds. Put everything aside for 15 minutes and just play with your kids. Have fun, laugh together, spend time in nature together, and enjoy life.
The rest can wait. Kids have a way of growing up despite us. And keep hugging those babies!

Carrie Lauth and Jen Houck want to help other Moms avoid burnout and have more fun every day with their kids. To get your free report, go to MommyBurnout.com

Article Source: http://greatarticlesformoms.com