Embrace the Downward Dog
William G. CottsTransplant specialist, Advocate Heart Institute
“Stress, along with anxiety and depression, increases your risk for heart disease, and as an exercise, yoga can be especially good at relieving stress. A regular yoga routine can help with relaxation while also providing the physical benefits of exercise, like increasing circulation and lowering blood pressure and glucose levels — all good for your heart.”
Berries Every Day Will Keep This Doctor Away
Matthew SorrentinoPreventive cardiologist, UChicago’s Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine
“I challenge people to have nine helpings a day of fruits and vegetables. A helping is what you can put in the palm of your hand. There may be added cardiovascular benefit from berries in particular: raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, grapes. And we prefer natural whole foods, including the skins, rather than processed. So no, fruit pie doesn’t count!”
Get More Sleep
Ranya N. SweisInterventional cardiologist, Northwestern’s Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute
“People don’t realize that not getting enough sleep can set them up for higher risk for cardiovascular disease, not to mention high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and obesity. Screens are a big detriment to good sleep. The light can be very stimulating. Let your body understand that your bedroom is for sleeping. And there are apps you can set to block your scrolling at a certain time — sort of a ‘save me from myself.’ ”
Photography: (Cotts) Advocate Health Care; (Sorrentino) UChicago Medicine; (Sweis) Northwestern University