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Heart Healthy Living
Simple tips for reducing your risk of heart disease
May 03, 2010
Dec 19, 2023
Cardiovascular DiseasesLearn about our editorial policies
The idea of working to make your heart stronger and doing what it takes to prevent—or at least delay—heart disease may sound like about as much fun as flossing your teeth.
But it doesn't have to be that way, if you use the "Take 10" approach. That means doing simple things for yourself and your heart health as often as possible, like taking the tips below. It's true that there are some risk factors for heart disease you can't change, like your family history, but there are little things you can do as go about your day that can make a difference.
Here are three big tips and some smaller ones for a heart-healthy life:
1. GET MOVING. There's nothing better for you and your heart's health than being physically active. No pill or diet can really substitute for the benefits of exercise. Fitting in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a day can help you not only make your heart stronger, but also lower your risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Can't find the time? Take 10.
Here are some quick tips for adding more physical activity to your life. Remember though before starting any exercise program, you'll want to check with your health care professional first.
2. BE SMART ABOUT FAT. Eating right is a big part of living a heart healthy lifestyle. Being smart about the type of fats in the food you eat is a great place to start.
Just as there are good and bad types of cholesterol, there are good and bad varieties of fat. The "good" fats in terms of heart health are fats found in foods like fish, olive oil, walnuts and avocados. The "bad" fats, the fats that can really clog your arteries, come in two varieties: saturated fats—typically found in whole milk dairy products like butter and ice cream and red meat—and trans fats. Trans fats are typically found in commercial baked goods or fried foods, as well as whole milk—and can be just as bad, maybe even worse for you than saturated fats.
The 2010 federal dietary guidelines challenge Americans to limit saturated fat to less than 10 percent of their daily calories and to keep trans fat consumption as low as possible.
Here are some quick tips for eating a heart-healthy diet:
Increase your intake of plant foods (especially leafy greens, red and orange vegetables, beans and peas and nuts and seeds).
3. TEACH YOUR MIND TO UNWIND. Learning to cope with stress and relax, even just a little, is a challenge for most of us. Some common ways of coping with stress, such as overeating, heavy drinking and smoking, are clearly bad for your heart.
Here are a few stress busting ideas: