Every heartbeat bears your name / Loud and clear they stake my claim / My red blood runs true blue / And every heartbeat belongs to you! Maybe Amy Grant had the right idea—every heartbeat does belong to us. So why aren’t we living a lifestyle that promotes a healthy heart? Starting today, do everything you can to improve your heart health. Your Daily “To-do” List for Your Heart You can start by paying attention to food labels and keeping your cholesterol numbers in check. When we eat a diet high in trans fats, we increase our risk of heart disease because those trans fats raise our bad cholesterol levels. Stay away from fast food and packaged goods, and—instead—select fresh produce and lean proteins. And when adding a spice, try to limit your use of the salt shaker, as consuming a lot of salt can play with your blood pressure—and not in a good way. Rather, use pepper and other spices to limit your salt intake and keep your blood pressure normal. In addition, you want to make sure you visit the dentist twice each year. Studies have shown a correlation between gum disease and heart disease. So take care of your teeth not just to ward off cavities and gum disease, but also to keep heart disease and stroke at bay. You also want to make sure you obtain enough sleep, which should be around seven to nine hours of good sleep. Just like your brain and body need a chance to rest and recharge, so does your heart. Therefore, do what is needed to make sure you catch some Zzz’s tonight. Do you feel in your heart like something just isn’t right? Visit our urgent care center today for a health evaluation by an experienced physician.