Top tips on how to keep your heart healthy
One of the best gifts you can give to the ones you love this Valentine’s Day is a more extended amount of time with you around. Heart disease is the most common cause of death in adults in the USA. Thankfully, however, it is also primarily preventable with lifestyle changes. Here are a few things you can do to keep your heart in tip-top shape.
- Get your current stats
Get your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and triglycerides checked and take actions to reach and maintain the optimal levels for your age. - Quit smoking
Smoking is one of the biggest causes of heart disease and quitting is the best thing you can do for your heart. It only takes a year of being smoke-free to drop your chance of getting heart disease by 50%. - Get moving
Just like any other muscle, our heart needs exercise to stay fit. Aim for 150 minutes of aerobic activity every week. This can be achieved by doing 30 minutes of activity, 5 days a week. - Watch your waistline
Research has found that carrying extra fat can contribute to your risk of heart disease. If your waistline is over 35 inches for women or over 40 inches for men, you may have an increased risk of heart disease. - Eat more fiber
Eating at least 30g of fiber from a wide range of sources can help lower your risk of heart disease. Soluble fiber found in oats, barley and some fruits and vegetables can help reduce your cholesterol as well as triglycerides (the fat that circulates in the blood). - Eat less saturated fat
Foods that are high in saturated fat can increase your cholesterol and your risk of heart disease. If you consume a lot of high fat foods, try choosing lighter versions, i.e. leaner cuts of meat or skimmed milk. - Get your 5 a day
Many fruits and vegetables are packed with beta-carotene and Vitamin C. These help to reduce the build up of plaque from cholesterol and other substances in the arteries.They are also full of fiber. Try to eat 400g of various fruits and veg. This can be as simple as adding an extra vegetable or piece of fruit to each meal.
- Reduce your salt intake
Adults should eat no more than 6g of salt per day. Most of the salt we consume is already in the foods that we buy so, remember to check your labels. Anything with more than 1.5g per 100g of salt is considered high. - Eat more fish
Oily fish like salmon, sardines and pilchards are a great source of omega 3. Eating fish a couple of times per week will ensure you get plenty of omega 3 fats, which can help prevent heart disease. - Reduce your alcohol consumption
Drinking too much alcohol can increase your blood pressure and over time, this can put strain on the heart and lead to cardiovascular disease. To reduce health risks from alcohol, limit your consumption to 2 drinks or less in a day for men, or 1 drink or less a day for women.