4 Heart-Healthy Lifestyle Tips

1. Maintain a Healthy Weight – Being overweight increases your risk of heart disease. A BMI of less than 25 and a waist circumference of 35 inches or less is recommended for preventing and treating heart disease. Weight extremes can also increase your risk for heart disease.

2. Move More- Exercise helps you achieve and maintain a healthy weight and control diabetes, elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure – all risk factors for heart disease. With your doctor’s OK, make physical activity part of your everyday routine, shooting for a goal of at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days of the week.

3. Quit Smoking – Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease, causing plaque buildup and hardened arteries, both of which make your heart work harder. Quitting is the best way to reduce your risk of heart disease and its complications.

4. Eat Healthy Foods –Certain foods contribute to a healthy heart. Look for fruits and vegetables that are dark in color, with a variety of color being best. (Consider berries, carrots, sweet potatoes, red peppers, spinach and broccoli). Fish high in omega-3’s, such as salmon, tuna, herring and trout benefit your heart, as do nuts, flaxseed and oatmeal.