5 tips for a healthier you

There are many different factors at play when it comes to heart disease. Thankfully, there are almost as many ways to help keep your heart healthy. Here are five tips for a healthier you.

If you learn to make little changes you and your heart can live a longer, fuller, healthier life. These changes could be things like taking a multivitamin, cutting portion sizes, choosing healthier main courses — even sprinkling cinnamon on your toast.

Sack your outdated images of exercise, and just get more active. Inactivity is bad for your heart — very bad.

The good news is that exercise doesn't have to be boring or time-consuming. Just a few minutes of easy activity a day can dramatically reduce your heart disease risk.

Put exercise high on your priority list. In fact, make an effort to be active each day.

Like Atlas in Greek mythology, you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders — and it's straining your heart.

Symptoms of general unhappiness (like high stress, anger, poor sleep and alcohol misuse) elevate your risk of high blood pressure, obesity and other heart-damaging conditions. So nurture a happy heart. You'll be grateful you did.

You may feel that pollution and germs are inevitable, but with a few clever steps, the worst offenders are avoidable. Environmental assaults from tobacco smoke, viruses, air and water pollution elevate your risk of heart attack — as does excessive alcohol consumption.

If you're concerned about the amount you drink each day, your best choice is to seek professional help.

When the first thrill of exercise and feeling healthier fades and the compliments become fewer, then the real work begins, and perseverance becomes a critical factor.

Studies show that half of all people who embark on healthy lifestyle changes start drifting back to their old ways within six months. But always keep in mind that if you get past that point, you'll have a habit for life, one that makes you healthier and happier.

So follow these health tips and keep at your lifestyle changes so that you can get that much closer to becoming a healthier you.