Healthy lifestyle habits that you can sustain over time can help you maintain proper heart and circulatory function. The morning is a great time to start habits that can set the tone for the day. It also makes it easier to integrate new changes and stick with them to get your heart health off to a good start.
5 Morning Habits for Heart Health
1. Drink Water
As soon as you wake up, sip a glass of water. Your body loses water as you sleep, so replenishing it is important. By staying hydrated and drinking more water than you are losing, you can help your heart do its job. Staying hydrated supports healthy circulation and delivery of oxygen and nutrients through the body to promote optimal performance, so you can feel your best.
2. Brush your Teeth
The best time to brush your teeth in the morning is when you first wake up. Many do not realize the link between good oral health and heart health. A consistent brushing schedule in the morning and at night helps you to have good oral health, which in turn supports blood and arterial health.
Brushing also kick-starts your saliva production for the day, which protects your teeth and gums by washing away food debris. With many breakfast foods being acidic, brushing your teeth before breakfast rather than afterward could have added benefits, depending on what you typically eat or drink.
3. Meditate
Meditation can be done at any time of day, but starting your day off with a few moments alone can help focus the mind for the day. A calm, focused mind can help support healthy blood pressure and heart function by reducing everyday worry. Your morning meditation can include yoga, deep breathing, listening to music, or writing in a journal. You only need five minutes a day to help support your body’s ability to manage everyday stress and promote healthy blood pressure and circulation.
4. Get Moving
With fewer distractions than at other times of day, the morning is an ideal time to fit in exercise. Exercise helps regulate metabolism and appetite, provides healthy energy, and can support healthy weight management as your body burns more calories throughout the day. Thirty minutes of cardiovascular exercise each morning is a good goal for many, but if you are not feeling very fit, even as little as 5 minutes of exercise will provide heart health benefits.
One of the easiest ways to get exercise is to lace up your shoes and take a brisk walk. Others may have a favorite workout video or online exercise class, either live or recorded. And, with the pandemic easing up, now might be a good time to go back to the gym.
5. Eat a Nutrient-Rich Breakfast
Diet is one of the most important lifestyle factors influencing heart health, so pay attention to your breakfast choices. A breakfast smoothie is a great way to take in fruits and vegetables that will provide you with essential vitamins and minerals to support optimal heart health.
Or you can start your day with a scoop of CardioFitMD® in a glass of water for an all-in-one, sugar-free, superfood drink for essential daily nutritional support. With CardioFitMD’s potent dose of beetroot, broad-spectrum fiber and prebiotics blend, probiotic, and 20 key letter vitamins and minerals, you can support your heart and overall health.
For Extra Cardiovascular Support
Your heart works hard every day, so it is important to provide your heart with the support and nutrients it needs. In addition to the 5 morning habits above, give your heart a little extra support with the naturally-sourced ingredients found in 1MD Nutrition’s heart-supporting supplements, CholestMD® and GlucoseMD®.
CholestMD® provides targeted cholesterol support and overall cardiovascular health with two potent ingredients. Bergavit™ bergamot extract and niacin are both clinically-studied to support healthy blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The addition of olive leaf and garlic bulb extract provides additional blood lipid and arterial health support.
GlucoseMD® offers carefully-selected ingredients that work together to support blood glucose levels and healthy metabolic function. Patented CinSulin® cassia cinnamon extract helps promote proper sugar metabolism, while berberine bark promotes sugar uptake from the blood, and chromium supports pancreatic cell activity.
Final Thoughts
Your best heart health starts with a good morning. These heart-healthy habits, along with the added support of 1MD Nutrition’s heart-supporting supplements, can help you establish a good morning routine to get your heart and overall health off to a good start for the day.
Dr. Heather Shenkman
Dr. Heather Shenkman is a board certified interventional cardiologist. She completed a six year program at Albany Medical College, graduating at the age of 23. She completed her residency at Henry Ford Hospital, cardiology fellowship at the University of Rochester, and interventional cardiology fellowship at the esteemed Tufts Medical Center in Boston.
