Father’s Day has come and you’re probably all geared up to spend the day with your loving dad. While making your dad happy today to show your appreciation for all that he’s done for you is great, you should also consider his health. Here’s what you should know about the number one disease that most dads in America should watch out for.
We all love our dads, and Father’s Day is the one day out of the year officially dedicated to them! It’s when you show how much you love your father by spoiling him more than you usually do – like spending the whole day doing everything he loves and buying him something that would make him happy. But filling your dad’s heart with joy can be different from keeping his heart happy – and spending the day eating barbecued hot dogs and burgers while watching the game might make him happy, but it also taxes his heart physically.
It’s equally important to be more mindful of your dad’s health on Father’s Day because you want him to be happy and live long. And the number one disease that kills most men is heart disease. You should help protect your dad’s heart by being aware of what’s bad for his heart and what you can do to protect it.
You can start by planning a heart-healthy Father’s Day with these suggestions:
1. Try Vegan Hot Dogs and Burgers
Red meat, especially processed meat, has been linked with increasing your risk for heart disease. For one, they’re filled with bad cholesterol and saturated fat. But researchers have also found that red meat has a lot of L-carnitine, which your gut bacteria turn into trimethylamine-N-oxide (or TMAO) during your digestive processes. TMAO has been found to cause atherosclerosis in mice, and researchers found that people who eat unprocessed red meat have a higher risk of developing heart disease.
But people who eat processed meats have an even higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease because of their nitrate and sodium content.
How can you enjoy burgers and hot dogs with dear dad without harming his heart? They may sound gross, but try vegan burgers and hot dogs. They’re made from tofu, which is soy and it’s been found to help protect your heart.
2. Do Laps With Dad During Game Breaks
Inactivity has been found to increase your risk for heart disease. In fact, researchers found that every hour you spend sitting increases your chances of dying prematurely from heart disease or other lifestyle diseases. If your dad’s ideal day is watching the game, then there’s going to be a whole lot of sitting.
But if you both run rally laps around the living room or outside during intermissions, you can help mitigate the effects of prolonged sitting. Running is also great exercise for the heart and helps improve cardiovascular function.
3. Visit a Bathhouse
Mix in a relaxing visit to a sauna or hot spring this Father’s Day. Hot springs and saunas are very therapeutic, and researchers found that regularly sauna bathing every week lowers your risk of heart disease by over 20 percent. It explains why heart disease is less statistically prevalent in Asia and Finland, where sauna bathing is a cultural norm.
Remember to care for your dad’s health this Father’s Day so you can share more Father’s Days with him! Try these three tips to make this Father’s Day healthier for his heart, and hopefully you can incorporate them into his and your daily lives for better long-term heart-protective effects.
