10 Tips for a Healthy Heart

A strong heart is a result of healthy lifestyle choices. Be active and stress-free.

Today’s fast-paced life and workplace pressures escalate stress levels, taking a toll on one’s heart. We must realize that the healing power of body decreases when under stress, leading to many complications like hypertension and poor immunity. Today, even youngsters are prone to heart ailments. So, it’s very important to stay healthy and manage your stress levels by understanding the risk factors – high cholesterol levels, stressful lifestyle, smoking and lack of exercise – following simple changes in lifestyle.

Avoid Smoking

Smoking reduces life expectancy by 15-25 years. If you are a smoker, you are twice more likely to have a heart attack than a non-smoker. The moment you stop smoking, the risk of heart attack begins to reduce.

Cut down on salt
Too much salt can cause high blood pressure, which increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease.

Watch your diet
Try to have a balanced diet. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, starch foods such as wholegrain bread and rice.
Monitor your alcohol
Too much alcohol can damage the heart muscle, increase blood pressure and also lead to weight gain. Avoid intake of alcohol or at least limit it to one or two units a day, gradually decreasing the consumption.

Get active
At least aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day. Keeping yourself fit not only benefits the heart but also improves mental health and well-being.

Monitor your BP, blood sugar and cholesterol levels
Routine medical check-ups will ring an alarm, if you need medical help.
Manage your waist
Cholesterol deposition in blood vessels begins in the first decade of life. Carrying a lot of extra weight as fat can greatly affect your health. Make small but healthy changes in your diet.

Manage your stress level
If you find things are getting on top of you, you may fail to eat properly, smoke and drink too much. This may increase your risk of a heart attack. Practice yoga/meditation. Take a vacation.

Check your family history
If a close relative is at risk of developing coronary heart disease from smoking, high BP, high cholesterol, lack of physical activity, obesity and diabetes, then you could be at risk too.

Laughter is the best therapy
Laughter anytime will work wonders for you. It is an instant way to unleash the pressure and it makes you feel light.

Fishes can be Perfect Pet for Small Kids

Intoduction Fishes could be an amazing household pet. Among all the animals, they are the easiest to care for plus they don’t really take so much room. However, most kids lose their interest in fishes rather fast especially those children who want to have a pet which they can cuddle up with. They tend to be a bore for kids who are active and always on the go. That must be the reason why not too many would ask for a school of fish. Nonetheless, fishes can be the perfect pet.

Sensible Choice

Whenever parents think of granting their little kids’ plea for a pet, most often the choice is to give them a fish. Even with the little care it requires, they could still teach them how to be responsible in taking care of a living thing. Having a pet fish would instill in them the value of love and acceptance of simplicity.

Parents really have a great deal of accountability when it comes to introducing a pet to a child. They have to keep in mind the child’s well being and that of the pet. With fishes there is less threat to the child’s safety. It is ideal especially for a kid who easily gets tired of new things and just wants it for the novelty of having one. This would save the parents a lot of trouble in the long run since more often than not; it is them who are burdened with the duty once their child bails out.

Basic Rules

There are only a few things to remember in taking care of them. The rules are very basic and could easily be followed by little children. One, do not dump anything in the fish tank. Two, do not take the fish out of the water. Also, they need a minimal amount of day to day and weekly care. All you have to do is feed them adequately and clean the fish tank at least once a week. Keeping an aquarium of fish can be educational and an enjoyable experience.

First, consider the size of the tank that will be adequate for the fish to swim freely. The aquarium’s size will determine the number and kind of fish that you would get for the child. Second, think of the best place in your home where you can put the fish tank. Make sure that the stand serves as a good foundation will support the aquarium and in the right height so the child will have no difficulty reaching the brim during feeding time. Put it away from busy traffic to prevent it from being collided into. Place it where there is enough sunlight and ventilation. This would prevent mosquitoes from plaguing the area. However, placing it near a window where there too much sunlight would cause the water to turn green easily. When this happens, you will need to change the water more often. If there is no other place, you can solve the problem by covering the window with curtains.
After everything is set, teach your child the right amount of feeding. Overfeeding will result to the fishes’ death. Be sure that the child is under supervision when he or she does the feeding. Cleaning the tank could also be a time for the parent and child to bond. You will have to do it but have your kid assist you. The bulk of the chore is just about it. No matter how simple it may seem, the goal of turning your child into a responsible person could still be achieve. Thus, fishes could possibly be the perfect pet for your kids.