Listen Consciously For Your Heart Health

Today, most of us around the globe are getting into the realm of excessive negativity,known as negative self-talkdue to Covid -19.

Its our inner critic or a train of negative thought in its tracks. It is the inner dialogue that we have with our self that diminishes our ability to make positive changes in our life.

Now just in case you were not aware of the potential impact of negative thoughts and feelings on health and well being, here is a brief summary about the way the things that start in our mind, and emanate from the brain, can influence the rest of the body, hence the term “mind body connection”.

Negative self-talk can lead to heightened level of stress that comes from the negative perception.

Stress may affect behaviors and factors that increase heart disease risk: high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, smoking, physical inactivity and overeating and drinking too much caffeine or alcohol.

Constant worry occurring most days over six months triggers anxiety. Be careful not to confuse stress with anxiety.Stress and anxiety share many of the same physical symptoms, making it difficult to spot the differences between them.

A little bit of worry,and stress is normal – even beneficial. But when someone is anxious, their body reacts in ways that can put an extra strain on their heart leading to increased risk of cardiovascular mortality, CAD, stroke, heart failure.

In other studies, negative thinking (Hopelessness) predicted a nearly doubling of risk of fatal and nonfatal heart disease.

Figuring out how stress pushes your buttons is an important step in dealing with it.

When you’re under stress, do you:

• Eat to calm down?
• Speak and eat very fast?
• Drink alcohol or smoke?
• Rush around but do not get much done?
• Work too much?
• Procrastinate?
• Sleep too little, too much or both?
• Slow down?
• Try to do too many things at once?

Engaging in even one of these behaviors may mean that you are not dealing with stress as well as you could.

• Accept that you cannot control everything
• Do lifestyle changes by eating a well-balanced diet and maintaining a healthy weight, exercising,maintaining a positive attitude, getting enough sleep, limiting caffeine and alcohol,are first line of treatment.
• Listen to your favorite music – a number of studies have evidenced that music can also alter your brain chemistry, and these changes may produce cardiovascular benefits— and also seems to ease pain, stress, and anxiety.
• Check your heart health stats/numbers 
• Listen consciously to your mind by filtering negative thoughts. You are the gatekeeper of your mind, and it’s your responsibility to protect what you think.If a negative thought enters your head, respond with at least three positive affirmations immediately. Like in today’s scenario say to yourself, you are not alone in the race. Everyone is sailing the same boat.This Situation is not going to stay forever.

Listen to your favorite music, Listen Consciously to your mind, Listen to your heart, respect, and act immediately for the sake of your heart health.