Save Your Heart

Here are 8 ways to Save Your Heart from Dr. Oz's article in February Issue of O Magazine.

1. Get At Least Seven Hours of Sleep. I know this is very hard for me if I want to get to the gym in the morning and get everything I need to do done in the evening. But sometimes I just have to just forget everything else and go do bed. I know that I feel better, get a better workout, and function better at work if I get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep.

2. Know your blood pressure. I don't usually have to worry about this, but a lot of my family members do. A range of 120/80 to 130/85 is considered below the hypertension point, but not ideal. Lowering your blood pressure to 115/76 can add 10 years to your life.

3. Avoid secondhand smoke. This has been hard for me the last couple of days and I feel like crap and I stink. I am so glad that in Illinois this is becoming less of an issue. An hour of passive smoke can cause the same amount of aging as having two to four cigarettes.

4. Walk 30 minutes a day. A Harvard study suggests that for every hour you exercise you gain two hours of life.

5. Eat Fish Three Times A Week. Omega-3 oils keep your hear and arteries healthy. If you don't like fish, try an ounce of walnuts.

6. Take Half and Aspirin a Day. I was surprised that my doctor told me to start taking an 81mg aspirin a day a couple of years ago. I have a low a gene that depletes my body of Folic Acid which could eventually cause heart problems down the road. So now I take extra Folic Acid and an aspirin a day.

7. Live within your means. Feeling out of control financially can affect not only sleep but arterial health from chronic stress. For more help on this issue go to www.frugalsister.com.

8. "Floss and brush your teeth. Any chronic infection (including gingivitis) stimulates your body to protect against bleeding with an increase in clotting - a recipe for heart attacks."