
Habits Challenge
You never needed them anyway.
Whatever your temptation is, it’s time to prove it doesn’t control you.
The Release Unhealthy Habits 7-day Challenge is all about putting an end to unhealthy choices that can increase your blood pressure and, in turn, provide some much-needed care for your heart.
For these 7 days, your goal is to:
– Pick your temptation.
– Cut it out entirely.
– Replace it with a healthy habit.
Excessive salt is harmful for your heart. Too much salt in your diet is linked to high blood pressure, and most Americans eat too much salt.
Tobacco isn’t good — for anyone. After that very first puff of a cigarette, tobacco can immediately raise your blood pressure. Black women are especially at risk for heart disease if they choose to smoke.
As for alcohol, not only can it increase your blood pressure slightly, but it’s also high in calories.
Whether you choose to say goodbye to excessive sodium, smoking, alcohol, or some other unhealthy food, your heart will thank you.
Unhealthy foods may be quick, but they’re full of sodium. Try a healthy one-pot meal full of lean meat and veggies instead. Keep in mind, planning ahead by stocking your cabinet full of heart-healthy essentials can make things quicker, too.
Even if you never reach for the salt shaker, you should still monitor your salt intake. More than 75% of sodium in a typical American diet comes from processed foods
Replace the salt with something else, like spices, herbs, garlic, and citrus to bring flavor to your food instead.
We agree. And you deserve to unwind with something that rewards you — not harms you. Swap wine for yoga or meditation (check out the Wind-down Workout with Headspace). Or, take a hot bath and put on some soothing music.
Your body is strong, and it’s well-equipped to recover from the damage of smoking. Quitting smoking can help improve your circulation, lung function, and breathing. After time, it can also reduce your risk of heart disease.