al davis

Oakland Raiders’ Al Davis Died of Heart Failure: Five Steps to Preventing Heart Disease

This may be easier said than done for some, but one of the best things you can do to improve your attitude and mental state, and ultimately your heart, is to write a list of what you are grateful for every single day.

Remember the song, "my Favorite things?" Part of the lyrics were, "When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad, I simply remember my favorite things. And then I don't feel so bad." it took me years before I realized the real meaning of those words. take them to heart.

Another good habit to start is practicing meditation. it does wonders in helping to relieve stress and anxiety, and can help you learn to live in the moment.

Don't smoke or use tobacco

You already know this, but it must be mentioned. Smoking is another one of the most significant risk factors for heart disease. the chemicals can damage your heart and blood vessels, and lead to narrowing of the arteries which can lead to a heart attack. Second-hand smoke should also be avoided, and no amount of exposure to smoke is considered safe.

Exercise

Get physical for 30 minutes a day, as many days of the week as possible. you don't have to exercise the full 30 minutes in one session. Breaking it up in three-10 minute sessions works just as well. if you can find a physical activity that you enjoy, it will be much easier to stick with then if you force yourself to do something you hate.

Walking as often as possible instead of driving your car is a great way to fit exercise into your schedule. Anything that will get your heart rate up will do the trick.

Healthy diet

Your diet is important too. Eat more healthy fats, such as raw nuts, olive oils, fish oils and flaxseed. Avoid trans-fats as much as possible. Those are found in partially hydrogenated and deep-fried foods, and often found in processed and packaged foods.

Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, and choose lean meats like poultry and fish over red meat, bacon and sausage. the fewer processed and pre-made foods you consume, the better.

Drinking green tea is also said to lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol. I can attest to this, as when I went to work for Celestial Seasonings Tea company I had access to an unlimited amount of free tea. During the two years I was there, my total cholesterol dropped more than 30 points.

Laughter, sex and a healthy weight

The fifth tip is really three-in-one. Maintaining an ideal weight is important in the prevention of heart disease, and if you follow the other tips including a healthy diet and exercise you should at least be on your way to achieving a healthy weight.

Laughing as often as possible and enjoying an active sex life, are also great ways of reducing your risk of heart disease.

K.C. Dermody has been an avid runner and yoga enthusiast for twenty years, and as a trained yoga instructor she taught a variety of students from senior citizens to competitive athletes. she has also been an NFL fan for as long as she can remember, and enjoys combining her passion for sports, emotional and physical well-being with her love of writing.

More from this contributor:

Raiders Owner Al Davis was much More Than Football

Yoga not just for girls: NFL players benefit from yoga

Five benefits of meditation for athletes

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

No Need to Know the Details of Al Davis’ Death

Today there were plenty of reports out there surrounding the death of Al Davis. if you want, feel free to do a little digging to find out. For me, I’m not concerned with how he died. Instead, I’m choosing to continue to celebrate his life.

For those that don’t know, fear not. There are no salacious details. For those that do know, is there any real surprise?

It didn’t take a PhD to know Mr. Davis was dealing with some tough health issues. Forget about his outward appearance. the fact that he began missing occasional games said it all.

While I can appreciate the curiosity, I don’t derive any sense of closure from the news.

This is not meant to belittle anyone that was wondering what exactly happened. I’m not mad at that in any way. We all have morbid curiosities of some sort. We all also like to get some sense of finality.

I’m just happy to have been alive in an era when all of Mr. Davis’ business acumen proved to be heavily instrumental in turning the NFL into the most watched sport in this country. nothing compares to the excitement of Sunday mornings. nothing comes close to the sense of pride I get when seeing those Silver and Black jerseys take the field in the fall. I am forever thankful to Mr. Davis. I choose to pay my respects by supporting the sport he made into the sport of kings.

Even in his death, Al Davis remains a giant in the game of football. There will never be another.

So this Sunday, even without the Raiders playing, I’m honoring Mr. Davis. I’m going to enjoy the game he helped to improve in everyway possible.

Tags: Al Davis