Your heart is one of the strongest muscles in your body and with your help it can remain
that way. Taking care of your heart is one step closer to loving yourself, as it helps you release good energy throughout your body and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
There are many different steps you can take towards ensuring that your heart is healthy — and happy.  Checkups on your blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol levels are essential to keeping your heart beating healthily.
 If you’re having difficulty maintaining a healthy lifestyle, ask your doctor to help you get on a great schedule that will push you in the right direction.
Exercise cannot be avoided and is always recommended by doctors. Studies show that getting at least 15 to 30 minutes of daily movement will help individuals feel better. Take a daily walk or head to the Laurier gym where plenty of equipment is available for students who want to better themselves. Walk around your room reading or listening to an audio book — it has been proven that movement and studying can help students remember material.
Drink more water so you can stay hydrated. Not only will you be helping your heart but you will be helping your skin become healthier and your muscles become stronger.
On top of all this, its essential to manage your stress by taking study breaks to stretch, socialize, or just have some simple fun. Create a schedule to manage your studying habits and your breaks. There are also numerous resources on campus that are dedicated to helping you maintain your mental health.
Eat healthy and make healthy choices habitual. This means you should stock up on foods that meet your nutritional needs and make them your first grab from the pantry or the refrigerator.
Healthy foods that you should stock up on are vegetables and low-fat snacks. Foods that are low in cholesterol levels are important, so check the labels when you’re shopping. Some suggestions are lean meats like chicken and turkey. Healthy fats are good for you, but stay away from trans fat.
Cut down on the salt as well. Check the label and examine it for less sodium. Cut back on sugar too, as it will decrease your risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Get your vitamins in and allow yourself to receive some sun, so open up your blinds while you’re studying.
Good dental hygiene and sleep are just as important as the rest. Gum diseases have been recently linked with inflammation in the blood vessels. We are learning more and more that flossing and dental check ups for cavities are essential to your wellbeing.
Perhaps one of the most important factors in this equation is sleep. Seven to eight hours of sleep is what doctors normally recommend for most individuals. Sleeping less hours has been linked with heart attacks and sleeping too much is known to make your heart less active. Get on a good sleeping schedule and study in the morning with a healthy breakfast.
On top of all this, its essential to manage your stress by taking study breaks to stretch, socialize, or just have some simple fun. Create a schedule to manage your studying habits and your breaks. There are also numerous resources on campus that are dedicated to helping you maintain your mental health.
The Writing Centre will help you with your essays or any assignments and there are mental health services at the Student Wellness Centre that will provide assistance for a plethora of needs. Most importantly, stay positive and realize that failure is a part of the process of trying to achieve anything. If you slip-up in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, just get back on track the next day.
Reward yourself with your favourite snacks here and there when you feel you have made a successful step forward. Just don’t get carried away.
Your heart matters and it’s in your hands. Work towards a healthy lifestyle with some of the aforementioned ideas and goals and you will be amazed at the changes that you can bring out in yourself.