As we prepare to ring in 2022, we know you might be thinking about your new year’s resolutions. How can we improve our lives? How can we be healthier? When it comes to resolutions on heart health, our team would like to offer 4 heart-healthy ideas for you to consider in the new year.
Embrace a heart-healthy diet
If you haven’t seen our recent blog post on heart-healthy recipes, we encourage you to take a look here: https://www.queens.org/delicious-heart-healthy-recipes-to-try-this-winter-hooilo-2/. We know you will be inspired! Embracing a heart-healthy diet does not mean the end of delicious food in your life. On the contrary, heart-healthy recipes are delicious and nourishing. Increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables in particular will quickly increase your heart health, and you will feel the healing effects of your new diet in no time.
Start a garden
Research suggests that low-level physical activities such as gardening can help reduce the risk of death from heart disease .[1] People who engage in gardening for less than 1 hour per week reduce their risk by 12%. Why? Gardening reduces stress. By spending time with your plants in nature, one is more easily able to calm the body and mind. Studies have also shown that gardening boosts life satisfaction by increasing positive emotions and reducing feelings of loneliness and depression. [2] Additionally, your garden can supply you with the delicious fruits and vegetables you need to jumpstart your heart-healthy diet! And don’t be intimidated: gardens can start small. A small kitchen garden in your back yard can produce a bounty of food for you and your ‘ohana.
Stay active
Fitness can be fun and can help you stay active and heart-healthy. Perhaps start with some Hula fitness classes! And remember, Hula is for everyone! If you can’t find an in-person class, you can follow along with digital classes for free on YouTube. Feeling more adventurous? Sign up for local outrigger canoeing lessons. Did you know that outrigger canoes first came to Hawaiʻi in 200 AD, with some large enough to carry up to 80 people?[3] Connect with Hawaiʻi’s past while meeting new friends and gaining a heart-healthy workout on the open water.
Get enough sleep
Adults who sleep less than 7 hours per night are more prone to health problems, including heart attack, heart disease, and stroke.[4] Whether it’s watching TV or scrolling on your phone, break those late-night habits, and aim for 7+ hours of sleep per night. Transform your life by going to bed and waking up at set times as often as possible. Embrace technology and phone apps to help you monitor and track your sleeping patterns. And to increase the quality of your sleep: get enough natural light exposure during the day, don’t eat or drink within a few hours of bedtime, and keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet.
With these tips to guide you, we hope the year 2022 is your healthiest year yet. From our Queen’s Heart ‘ohana to yours, we wish you a wonderful, safe, happy, and healthy new year!
Hau’oli Makahiki Hou!
[1] Source: https://www.abiomed.com/patients-and-caregivers/blog/4-ways-gardening-is-good-for-your-heart
[2] Source: https://www.abiomed.com/patients-and-caregivers/blog/4-ways-gardening-is-good-for-your-heart
[3] Source: https://hawaiianpaddlesports.com/social/outrigger-canoeing/
[4] Source: https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/sleep.htm
