Keeping your heart healthy is simple when you look at the big picture
Get exercise
Eat right
Stress less
Watch your weight
Don’t smoke
Putting those goals into action, of course, isn’t so simple. Which matter most? How can you put them into daily practice?
These are some tips which you can follow
Go 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. Try to eat fish at least twice a week, suggests the AHA. If you’re concerned about mercury or other contaminants in fish, you may be happy to learn that its heart-healthy benefits tend to outweigh the risks for most people.
Eat chocolate
Dark chocolate not only tastes delicious, it also contains heart-healthy flavonoids. These compounds help reduce inflammation and lower your risk of heart disease, suggest scientists in the journal Nutrients. Eaten in moderation, dark chocolate — not oversweetened milk chocolate — can actually be good for you. The next time you want to indulge your sweet tooth, sink it into a square or two of dark chocolate. No guilt required.
Be smoke-free
If you needed one more reason to quit smoking, here’s another. Tobacco is a leading cause of heart attack, stroke and peripheral vascular disease.
Quitting smoking isn’t easy, but it is a key lifestyle change you can make to protect your heart – as well as improving your overall health in a number of vital ways.
Maintain a healthy weight and waist circumference
A healthy weight and waist measurement reduces your risk of developing many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. Waist circumference can be a helpful way to assess how much body fat you are carrying.
Limit Bad Fat
If you eat a typical American diet, this one change can bring dramatic results: Eat less saturated fat. You can "reduce your risk of heart issues by half," says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD. Start by switching to low-fat meat and dairy, and change to healthier fats like olive and canola oils.
Cut the Salt
Cook without salt, limit processed foods, and go easy on the salt shaker. Aim to bring down the sodium you eat to 1,500 milligrams, the American Heart Association's daily limit.Pump Up Produce: Eat at least 2 1/2 cups of vegetables and fruit every day. You'll lower your risk for heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
Go for Grains
Whole grains help lower cholesteroland blood pressure, and may help prevent type 2 diabetes. Think about corn tortillas, whole wheat pancakes and pasta, bulgur wheat, oatmeal, quinoa, and chewy, delicious brown rice or wild rice.
