5 Strategies For Improving Cardiovascular Health

February 16, 2010 | Posted by Katherine Crawford

Heart disease is ravaging modern society. And a lot of this is due to poor dietary patterns and insufficient exercise.

I understand that a lot of the modern day sedentarism is due to progress. So don’t assume that it’s all your fault. The environment you live in may be working against you.

So without further ado, here are some tips for keeping your circulatory system in top shape:

1. Do joint friendly cardio: Breaking a sweat and getting your heart beating fast is a great way to maintain tone in your cardiovascular system. The key here, however, is to make sure what you’re doing isn’t eroding your joints. Swimming, elliptical trainers and any other form of low impact activity should work.

2. Use some outside help: A great strategy here is to take some aspirin which will help blood get through your body with ease. It will also reduce inflammation-a leading cause of arterial disease. Now make sure you discuss taking aspirin with your doctor before making it part of your daily regimen.

3. Increase your ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats: There are good fats and bad fats. But even among the good fats, you want to make sure you are getting the optimal dosages. Omega-6 fats found in vegetable oils, cereals and grains are usually too high in the typical western diet. For optimal health increase the amount of omega-3 fats.

4. Floss: Despite constant efforts on the part of dentists and doctors, most people still do NOT floss. Not only does flossing prevent mouth decay, but it also maintains cardiovascular health by getting rid of inflammatory bacteria. So make it part of your routine to floss regularly.

5. Have some dark chocolate: Consistent research from the Harvard School of Public Health has showed that raw, organic cocoa benefits the heart. It does so by making your arteries more elastic and it’s also loaded with anti-oxidants. Just don’t buy the store kind because it has too much sugar and fat.

Increasing arterial health is more important than ever in this day and age. Not only are people living longer, but modern environments are not conducive towards maximum health. So make sure you take action on this information sooner rather than later!

Author Katherine Crawford M.S., a Harvard exercise physiologist and recent flabby arms casualty, teaches women how to lose arm fat ASAP. Unearth how to get sexy arms by visiting her blog about reducing fat arms right now!