“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23.
This biblical reference refers primarily to our spiritual heart, but is relevant for the physical heart as well. Heart health is pre-eminent. It can be overlooked until problems arise with advancing age. Maybe that’s why you are reading this now? The two ‘still fairly young’ pastors in our church have both had major heart surgeries. One unexpectedly found he had five blocked arteries! The other had two major heart operations about six months apart!
As I began writing this article, I received a call from a longtime friend who told me of his journey in the past weeks regarding major heart issues and needed surgery. Chuck Norris was 86, had some type of medical emergency, and then died quickly—was it heart related? We hear Saint Peter gently cautioned him to curb the roundhouse karate kicks to the cherubim!
“We are fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) and that certainly applies to the human heart. Imagine how this miracle organ continuously beats 100,000 times every day, delivering oxygen and nutrients to the numerous cells of our body! Days ago I had my annual cardiologist appointment and thank God for a good report! I took advantage of the time to ask my doctor friend, who is now retiring and has served for 32 years and thousands of patients, whether he would allow me to take some notes on what would be his top medically informed tips for cardiovascular wellness and long life. “Heart health is wealth” and “Healthy eating keeps your heart beating” are reminders as we survey his suggestions, which I mingled with mine.
TEN TIPS
This is not an exhaustive list but simply some helpful suggestions as we fight the number one killer of Americans for over 100 years. All of this is based on a God-centered life where the Bible is honored and obeyed to experience the abundant life Jesus promised His followers (Jn. 10:10).
- Stay active in our sedentary society.
You don’t need to take up marathons and run at full speed on treadmills for hours. Just give yourself to walking, swimming, hiking, or other exercises that get the ticker ticking. Six days a week I walk briskly in a mall for 30 minutes / 2 miles or, when the weather is nice, I do this outside to get necessary vitamin D as well.
- Commit to eating in a balanced, healthy manner.
You don’t need to go overboard with some kind of special Spartan diet that many never keep. Here are a few suggestions:
- Berries — blueberries, strawberries, and pomegranates combat inflammation and assist with blood pressure. Substitute low-fat yogurt with the berries instead of ice cream and fatty desserts.
- Fatty fish — salmon, sardines, and mackerel are full of omega seven fatty acids.
- Green tea — definitely helps reduce cholesterol and lower blood pressure, plus reduces artery stiffness. I drink it every morning and sprinkle in turmeric, which is essential for healthy aging. It’s also simpler than coffee and you save time and don’t need all that cream.
- Good quality virgin olive oil at dinner cuts inflammation and increases artery flexibility. Investing in virgin oil from Morocco is highly recommended, with no bitter aftertaste, as it’s simply drizzled on a salad or non-fried meats.
- Leafy greens — spinach, kale, and broccoli are easy and enjoyable to eat with low-cal salad dressings.
- Avocados — known as the “fat that fights fat,” this along with other super foods help reduce bad LDL cholesterol.
- Supplement healthy diet with the big one — magnesium. Google the specifics here. Your doctor may also recommend a statin medication. Just be careful of the potency. Years ago, I started with 40 mg and needed to lower it to 30 because some have muscle problems if prescribed too potent a dose. My cardiologist said, “Don’t get stressed out about an occasional donut or simple McDonald’s hamburgers once in a while.”
- Maintain regular wellness check-ups with your doctor, along with periodic colonoscopy and comprehensive blood tests.
- Stay hydrated.
I keep a thermos bottle in my car to supplement daily water intake. For years I battled night cramps until my doctor said you need about 7 to 8 glasses of water a day, and they have virtually disappeared.
- Get adequate sleep.
Aim for 7 to 8 hours unless you’re President Trump, who miraculously serves us as a nation with about four hours a night and he’s almost 80. Naps can be beneficial as well; Winston Churchill took them almost daily.
- Stress reduction.
Be intentional in combating stressful situations. Scripture says, “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down” (Prv. 12:25). This is the hidden killer, so be vigilant here.
- Cultivate and maintain healthy friendships.
There are four kinds of friends:
(a) Just Friends — people with whom we interact in superficial ways.
(b) Rust Friends — they change with seasons.
(c) Trust Friends — those who serve us with godly advice.
(d) Must Friends — gifts from God to cherish.
- Guard your weekly day off / Sabbath rest.
- Cultivate a servant’s heart.
Self-centered or narcissistic lifestyles are destructive. Imitate Jesus, who washed the disciples’ feet and set an example, saying, “If you know these things, you’ll be blessed if you do them” (Jn. 13:17).
- Practice generosity. Scripture reveals this heart-healthy secret: “One man gives freely yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give and only suffers want. The generous man will be enriched” (Prv. 11:24–25).
Here’s the deal: Heart disease is real, but research proves we can slow and reverse it. Our sedentary lifestyle, poor food choices, bad habits, and sinful living eventually take their toll. Let’s not wait until health problems occur, but rather let’s be proactive and preventative with a simple and balanced approach to glorify God and “run the race with perseverance, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).
