Betting On A Better Heart: 4 Ways To Improve Your Heart (For Any Kind Of Game)

With millions of people getting ready to watch the big game, if not prepping for a party lathered in pizza and chicken wings, your heart might be the last thing on your mind when Patrick Mahomes throws his next touchdown pass. 

However, it's American Heart Month and 

heart disease, one of the main causes of death worldwide, will definitely tackle you for a lose, if you don't protect your heart like most Americans protect their pro football. 

Here are 4 ways to strengthen your heart and improve your lifestyle, while staying ahead of the rest of the playing field. (Note: You don't have to be a pro athlete to have a healthier heart.) 

Move It

You may not have the speed or lung capacity of Jalen Hurts, yet, but face it: your heart is a muscle. And exercise is a super way to strengthen your heart. So, figure out what your heart rate is and  start moving with cardiovascular-improving exercises such as walking, running, swimming and cycling. 

The impact of exercising (on a regular basis) will improve everything from your circulation to your blood pressure and heart rate levels -- in the long run. 

Keep Moving: Running is just one form of exercise to keep a healthy heart.

Balance it out 

You definitely don't need a nutritionist watching over you every second of the day, but keeping a balanced diet will likely have you feeling like you can tackle Travis Kelce, before you turn off the lights at night. Just adding a few more fruits (apples) and vegetables (carrots) to your daily eating routine, if not healthy proteins (salmon), will improve your heart in the long run. It will also make your digestive system and immune system feel like a brand new football. 

Wing it like a pro, not a starved rookie 

It's no 'Super' secret: NFL players and in some cases coaches, especially the meatier ones such as Jason Kelce and Andy Reid, love to eat. But even though eating a large amount of food at your next Super Bowl party will be hard to resist, eating a lot of food at once can (1) Cause blood shifting from the heart to the digestive system (2) Faster and irregular heart rhythms, which can lead to a heart attack or heart failure -- no matter what time of the year it is. So, control your urge to eat all the wings!

Don't stress it

Whether or not your favorite NFL team wins the big game on Sunday, your life will go on - no matter the result. Tip: Don't stress about any missed tackles or kicks during the big game. Or any other game for that matter. Stressing over another dropped pass, or anything, really, can lead to a rise in blood pressure and accelerate your heart rate - IE: a heart attack. Living with stress can also be stressful for your heart. So, just chill and make sure you live with a healthy heart.