How to Maintain a Healthy Heart

The blood that your heart is circulating is very important because it carries nutrients and oxygen to other organs and tissues in your body. Because it is busy working all of the time, your heart never gets a break. It just keeps on pumping at all hours of the day and during the night while you are sleeping. That’s why it is so important that kids and their parents take good care of the heart that they have. To do that, you need to understand what types of things are healthy for the heart and what will make it stronger so that it can continue to do its job.

Change Your Eating Habits

What you eat can really help your heart to stay happy and healthy. The thing is, it can only help your heart if you are eating the right things. Eating the wrong types of foods can make your heart sick after a while. If your heart eventually gets sick, which means it has what is called heart disease, it will make you very sick also. Bad foods for the heart are foods that are high in sugar, like doughnuts, cakes, ice cream, and candy. Greasy foods like hamburgers or fried chicken are also bad for the heart and bad for you. Giving up these types of foods might seem like a bad thing, but there are a lot of healthy foods that taste just as delicious. Fresh fruits, like blueberries and other berries, are healthy and are great for the heart. Nuts are tasty, and they contain a type of fat that is healthy and good for the heart as well. Whole-grain foods and vegetables are all heart-friendly items that taste good and can be prepared in a way that kids will enjoy. What’s really fun about changing the way that you eat is that you’ll need to talk to your parents about it. This is a good time to show them what you know and ask them to eat heart-healthy, too!

Get Up and Get Moving

The heart loves activity! The more active you are, the stronger and healthier your heart will be. The television probably has a lot of interesting things for you to sit down and watch. But that’s the problem; you are sitting down and watching. Get up off the couch and ask your parents if you can go outside to play. Instead of watching the activity on the TV, you can create your own activity. Go to a park, ride a bike, toss a ball with your friends, or jump rope. Whatever type of activity you do, make sure it is something that gets you moving and your heart pumping. Play is like exercise, and it works all of your muscles, not just your heart. As you work your muscles, they get stronger. Kids who are overweight can benefit from being active and playing with friends because it will help them lose weight. This is a good thing, as being overweight puts a strain on the heart and can cause problems in the future. If you can’t get outside to play because of the weather or for some other reason, look for indoor activities that keep you moving. If you play video games, ask for games that make you move your whole body in order to play. These games are a good way to stay active when going outside isn’t possible.

• Love Your Heart
• Life’s Simple Seven for Kids: Simple Ways to Live Better (PDF)
• Your Heart and Circulatory System: Keep Your Heart Healthy
• Activity and the Heart
• The Super Crews Body Helpers Guide (PDF)
• Chef Solus and the Explorers Keep Their Hearts Healthy
• Jumping Rope for Healthy Heart Rhymes
• Heart-Healthy Eating for Kids (PDF)
• Healthy Hearts
• Enjoy Heart Healthy Foods
• Heart Healthy Tips for Kids
• Take the Seven Day Healthy Heart Challenge for Kids
• How to Have a Healthy Heart
• Your Heart at Work a Guide for Kids
• Heart Healthy Tips for children and adults
• The Truth About Your Heart
• Fun Heart Facts
• Healthy Food Sign: Happy Heart Foods
• Eight Fun Activities to Get You Fit
• Eat Smart, Be Smart (PDF)