February, as you are probably aware, is American Heart Month. If you are even just a little overweight the extra pressure put on your heart can cause a range of complications, including sleep apnea and high blood pressure.

Two thirds of heart disease risk factors are linked to lifestyle and not genetics. So here are a few ways that you can be kind to your heart.

1/ Snack Happy. If you often find that you need a snack on the run, bin the chips and reach for nuts instead. Low cost and high in omega 3 fatty acids, good fat and fiber, nuts can reduce the risk of blood clots and lower LDL (the bad cholesterol) levels. Bear in mind, though, that 100 grams of nuts contains over 600 calories and 61 grams of fat, so don’t go too wild!

2/ Drop the Sugar. According to the American Heart Association, most of us eat over twice as much sugar than we should. The average American consumes a whopping 23 teaspoons of sugar every day. Sugar puts strain on the whole system, it can increase blood glucose levels making the body work harder to process the influx of energy. Sugar also adds to weight gain, which, in turn can contribute to diabetes, which contributes to some heart conditions. By cutting down on sugar you can slow down or stop this cycle. Instead of piling the sugar into your coffee or reaching for that super sweet dessert, think twice and grab an apple instead.

3/ Not So Salty. According to the Mayo Clinic, the average American consumes around 3,400 mg of sodium every day. That’s half again of the recommended daily amount of 2,300 mg for a healthy adult and over double the recommended amount for people over 51 with high blood pressure or diabetes. Be aware of the salt packed into a lot of packaged food and try to pick low sodium alternatives where possible.

4/ Swap The Coffee. Coffee does have some great health benefits, but if you have high blood pressure try to swap coffee with green or black tea, which have been linked to reduced risks of heart attack and stroke.

By giving your heart a little tender loving care this month, and every month, you can improve your health and reduce your risks of heart disease. If you are obese and struggling to lose weight, weight loss surgery may be the best option for you to cut a range of life-threatening conditions that can be caused by obesity.

Weight loss surgery has very many health benefits and, whilst it is certainly no easy way out, it can be a great, effective way for people who have struggled to lose weight to get on the right track to living a happy, healthy life with a happy healthy heart!

If you would like to know more about the range of weight loss surgery procedures that we have available at Weight Loss Mexico contact us for a call back from one of our qualified US-based case managers.