Heart Healthy Holiday Tips

The holiday season is a very busy season, filled with shipping, gift wrapping and preparing foods. There is also all the holiday foods to eat such as pies, cakes, turkey and eggnog. The food and the hustle and bustle of the holiday's makes having time for exercise and sticking to diets hard to do. Following heart healthy holiday tips are very important to do, especially during the holidays. Following these tips along with a little bit of determination and moderation can go a long way in helping you keep your heart healthy.

You do not need to give up your favorite holiday foods, just make sure to not over indulge. It is important to control your cholesterol level which in turn helps in keeping your heart healthy. Cut back on foods rich in saturated fat such as cheese and butter. Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet.

Prepare for the holiday by trying to plan ahead on what foods you will eat at each home you visit. For example, if you love Mom's Turkey and Aunt Sally's Pumpkin Pie than eat your turkey dinner at Mom's, then go to Aunt Sally's for her delicious pumpkin pie.

Turkey is healthier for your heart than ham because ham has sodium and sodium causes your body to retain water which makes your heart work harder. Do not drink a lot of alcoholic beverages. Alcohol is high in calories and can increase your appetite.

Exercising during such a busy season may seem hard to fit into your schedule, but to keep your heart healthy you should do as much as possible. There are easy ways to fit exercise into your shopping time. Park farther away and walk, use the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator, before you begin shopping take a walk around the mall and look at all the holiday decorations.

Another way to keep your heart healthy is to be happy and reduce the stress in your life. The holidays can be a very stressful and depressing time of the year for many people for numerous reasons. To cut down on stress plan ahead, don't leave things till the last minute. Spend time with loved ones, watch a funny movie. It is true that laughter is the best medicine.