Healthy Heart

Take time in your work day to take care of your heart.

Most people spend the work week stressed out, constantly hunched over computers and eating erratically. Ravi Mandapati, MD, director of the Loma Linda University International Heart Institute gives some tips on how to help avoid heart disease. Here are five ways to make your work life heart healthy.

Drink it in. Instead of grabbing a soda, drink water. Water helps you stay alert and refreshed, and helps your heart do its job.

Chew on this. Bring healthy snacks from home. Make sure to keep healthy snacks — like nuts, fruits and veggies — at your desk that you can munch on when hunger strikes.

Like to move it, move it. Make sure to get up and move hourly. Revitalize yourself by going outside and taking a refreshing walk around your office building.

Here comes the sun. Take breaks to get some fresh air and sunshine. Make sure to get your daily dose of vitamin D by getting outdoors every day.

Take time to unwind. To calm yourself from a hectic day, you could sit and meditate quietly for a few minutes, take time to pray or call a loved one for a word of encouragement.

Good heart health can't be achieved overnight, which is why it’s important to incorporate certain habits into your daily routine. Try adding one of the five tips above to your schedule every week, and before you know it, these few small changes can improve your heart health.