There are many changes you can make to keep your heart
healthy and strong.
Quitting smoking is one of the most important steps you should
take to protect your heart, as smoking is a top controllable risk factor for
heart disease.
In addition, other lifestyle changes, especially those
related to diet, exercise and mental health, can also help improve your heart
health:
Heart-healthy dietary changes
These include managing excess body fat, eating more
soluble fiber, incorporating omega-3-rich fish, limiting salt and saturated fat
intake, and eating foods like nuts, dark chocolate and tea:
- Manage excess body fat - Research in the Journal of the American
College of Cardiology has linked excess belly fat to higher blood pressure
and unhealthy blood lipid levels.
- Include fiber into the diet - A diet rich in soluble fiber can
help lower the level of low-density lipoprotein, or “bad cholesterol.”
Sources of soluble fiber include beans, oats, barley, apples, pears and
avocados.
- Reach for whole grains, such as oatmeal, whole-grain cereals, or
whole-wheat toast, and lean protein sources, such as turkey bacon or a
small serving of nuts or peanut butter as well as fruits and vegetables
- Eat fish - Eating a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids can also
help ward off heart disease. Many fish, such as salmon, tuna, sardines,
and herring, are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
- Eat nuts - Almonds, walnuts, pecans, and other tree nuts deliver
a powerful punch of heart-healthy fats, protein and fiber. Including them
in the diet can help lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. But please
note that while nuts are full of healthy stuff, they are also high in
calories.
- Limit salt intake - Processed and restaurant-prepared foods tend to
be especially high in salt.
- Reduce your saturated fat intake - Slicing your saturated fat
intake to no more than 7 percent of your daily calories can cut your risk
of heart disease. Instead, you can switch your unhealthy fat intake with
healthy fats, such as olive oil.
- Drink tea - Drinking one to three cups of tea per day may help
lower your risk of heart problems. For example, it is linked to lower
rates of angina and heart attacks.
- Eat dark chocolate - Dark chocolate not only tastes delicious,
it also contains heart-healthy flavonoids. These compounds help reduce
inflammation and lower the risk of heart disease, suggest scientists in
the journal Nutrients.
Regular physical activity
No matter how much you weigh, sitting for long periods of
time could shorten your lifespan, warn researchers in the Archives of Internal
Medicine and the American Heart Association. Couch potato and desk jockey
lifestyles seem to have an unhealthy effect on blood fats and blood sugar.
Including walking, strength training, yoga, dancing, or
even household chores may help improve heart health and lower cardiovascular
disease risk.
And according to research published in the Journal of
Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, yoga has the potential
to reduce one’s risk of cardiovascular disease.
Meanwhile, research published in the American Journal of
Cardiology shows that a lower frequency of sexual activity is associated with
higher rates of cardiovascular disease. While according to the Harvard T. H.
Chan School of Public Health, chronic stress, anxiety and anger can raise your
risk of heart disease and stroke. Thus learning ways to manage your stress and
anxiety may help you stay healthier for longer.
