1. Manage Blood Pressure
Having elevated blood pressure increases your risk for heart disease and strokes. If you’re not sure what your blood pressure is, you can get it checked at your doctor’s office and many pharmacies (or get a home blood pressure monitor).Healthy blood pressureis defined as 120/80 mmHG (systolic/diastolic). Some things you can do to help: reduce stress, exercise and watch your sodium intake. (These are thebest and worst foods to eat for your blood pressure.)
2. Control Cholesterol
Knowing your cholesterol numbers is also important when it comes to a healthy heart. It’s something most doctors check for at your annual physical. A total cholesterol of over 200 mg/dL is considered high, but it’s not just your total number that matters. There’s “good” HDL cholesterol and “bad” LDL cholesterol. (Here’s a closer look atwhat you should know about cholesterol numbers).
If your numbers are high, eating more good-for-you foods and exercise can help. Here are10 foods that can help prevent high cholesterol.
3. Reduce Blood Sugar
We often think of blood sugar as being important when you have diabetes, but keeping blood sugar in a healthy range is also important for your heart. Having elevated blood sugar levels over time can damage your heart. The good news? Most of the advice for better blood sugar is just general healthy eating advice. Choose fiber-rich carbohydrates more often (think whole grains, fruit, vegetables, beans) and pair your carbs with healthy fats and protein to slow the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream. Here are12 healthy ways to lower your blood sugar.
Getty Images / Luis Alvarez
4. Get Active
Moving your body is so important. Not only is it great for your heart, it’s great for your joints (and blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol) but also your mental health (here’s more about themental benefits of exercise). If you’re not currently exercising, think small. Start moving a little bit more here and there. Take a 10-minute walk, do squats after you brush your teeth or add a few yoga stretches to your pre-bed routine. Try these5 Best Exercises for Your Health, According to a Harvard Doctor(every little bit helps).
5. Eat Better
Changing up what you eat can definitely help your heart. Try not to stress about any diet changes and just like exercise, start small. Certain foods help keep your heart healthy—think vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, seafood and healthy fats. Some foods and nutrients should be limited, like sodium, refined grains, added sugar, saturated fat and processed meats. Thislist of heart-healthy foodscan help you figure out what to buy at the grocery store or try one of our25-minute heart-healthy dinner recipes.
6. Lose Weight
Not everyone needs to lose weight, but dropping pounds may help reduce the burden on your heart. Having a BMI of 30 or more is associated with cardiac complications, according toresearch. Doing some of the other things on this list—like upping your movement and getting more vegetables in your diet—can help you lose weight. Just a small amount of weight loss can make a big difference for your heart. Here aresome tips for how to lose weight when you’re not sure where to start.
7. Stop Smoking
Cigarettes are neither good for your cancer risk, nor your heart. Smoking is linked to about 33% of all heart disease deaths. If you currently smoke, try to quit. TheAHA has tips to help you give up tobacco.
Welcome toThe Beet. A weekly column where nutrition editor and registered dietitian Lisa Valente tackles buzzy nutrition topics and tells you what you need to know, with science and a little bit of sass.
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