How Gronk Fitness Can Improve Heart Health

February is Heart Healthy Month. 

Here’s how Gronk Fitness can help.

Every day in the United States, an American dies every 39 seconds from heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for Americans today, which is why it is so critical that you strengthen and protect one of the most essential organs of the body - your heart.

Of course, the impact of coronavirus has upset even best-laid plans, which is why it is more important than ever that you do everything you can to protect your heart health and improve your overall fitness with these home workout tips for 2021.

Importance of heart health

Your heart is a critical part of your body, as it is responsible for the flow of blood and critical nutrients like oxygen, hormones, and fuel for your body.  The average heart has about 2.5 billion heartbeats in your lifetime. It is also responsible for other important body functions like maintaining a healthy metabolism, removing waste, and empowering all of your organs to function properly.  

Heart problems can be the result of any number of factors, such as genes, not enough exercise, and unhealthy habits like a poor diet and smoking. This can be very dangerous because an unhealthy heart can result in a series of severe and significant issues, such as:

• Heart infection
• Disease of the heart muscle
• Heart arrhythmias (rhythm problems)
• Coronary artery disease, or blood vessel disease
• Congenital heart defects (heart defects you're born with)
• Heart valve disease

Who is at risk?

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ My Healthfinder, you are at a greater risk of heart disease if you have a history of heart disease or if you meet one of the following factors:

• Men over the age of 45
• Women over the age of 55
• When a father or brother has heart disease before 55 years old
• When a mother or sister has heart disease before 65 years old

Says Harvard Health, “A healthy lifestyle, especially when started at a young age, goes a long way to preventing cardiovascular disease.”

How to improve your heart health

Just like other parts of the body, there are some things you can do to improve your heart health in 2021.

Adopt a healthy diet.

Leave the fast food and fatty, fried foods in 2020 with a commitment to a healthier diet in 2021. Natural fats like those found in salmon and avocados are excellent boosters for the heart, while leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens are recommended for their minerals and vitamins. 

Other heart-healthy foods include: 

• Beans and legumes 
• Berries, like strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries 
• Garlic

• Nuts, like walnuts and almonds

• Seeds, like chia seeds, flaxseeds, and hemp seeds

• Whole grains, such as whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, oats, and quinoa

For a treat, choose dark chocolate for its antioxidants. 

Curb your vices.

Smoking is a horribly harmful habit for your heart. To better protect yourself, quit smoking today, and make every effort to stay away from secondhand smoke.

Drinking alcohol can also be harmful to your health, so instead, drink only in moderation or refrain from alcohol altogether. 

Reduce your stress levels.

Stress can have a significant impact on the heart, raising your blood pressure and increasing your heartbeat, making your heart work that much harder. Monitoring your blood pressure and cholesterol and maintaining regular doctor visits can help ensure your continued health.

The impact of stress on your heart is another reason why exercise is especially recommended for those in high-stress jobs and military veterans who find fitness especially helpful in maintaining healthier lifestyles. 

How Gronk Fitness helps your heart health

Experts agree that one of the best things you can do for your health is to get active. 

Johns Hopkins Medicine advises three types of exercise to best improve your heart health:

This form of exercise allows you to improve circulation within the body while lowering your blood pressure and heart rate to healthy levels. In turn, this helps your heart to maintain regular function. It is especially critical for those living with diabetes.

This is excellent for those who have extra body fat to shed. Resistance training is not only designed to reduce fat, but it also helps create leaner muscles and improves cholesterol within the body.

These kinds of workouts are centered around stretching exercises. While not directly related to heart health, stretching has a number of benefits that in turn strengthen the heart, such as stress reduction, musculoskeletal development, and improved flexibility for less pain from those aerobic and resistance workouts.

Getting started

You don’t have to stock a full home gym, either. There are plenty of products designed for life on the go or those meant to be used as standalone fitness aids. 

Strap on the Xtreme Monkey Multi-Purpose Harness or the Xtreme Monkey Fitness Weighted Vest to take your daily run up a notch

If there’s one thing the Gronks know a thing or two about, it’s the importance of cardio and aerobic exercise. Get your heart pumping with the Gronk Fitness Inertia Wave and Water Rower, or use the Aqua Bag as a fun and easy way to improve your workout while also relieving stress.

Studies from Harvard Health show that household partners who share health habits are more successful in maintaining those habits, so find ways to get the whole family involved.

Don’t forget about the benefits of music, either.

No matter how you decide to work out, getting healthy in 2021 is easy with Gronk Fitness. Enjoy the equipment of elite athletes while secure within the comfort of your home. 

With Gronk Fitness, you can have it both ways. All you have to do is get started.