Ways of Keeping your heart healthier

A healthy heart is what we all desire to have. Taking care of your heart by doing various practices may improve your heart health. These practices may include; eating the right foods, doing exercises, and possibly avoiding some foods. Some of the practices you can do are;

Eat the right fats

Avocados and nuts contain healthy fats that our bodies need. These provide energy, protect organs, keep your body warm, and support cell growth. Reduce intake of unhealthy fats such as saturated and trans fats like fatty meats, cakes, and pies.

Eat fish

Eating a diet rich in omega3 fatty acids can help ward off heart disease. Examples include salmon, tuna, sardines, and herring.

Increase fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables contain important antioxidants and phytochemicals that help protect your heart. Choose a variety of them for your diet.

 

Eat chocolate

 Not only does dark chocolate taste delicious, but it also contains heart-healthy flavonoids. These compounds help in reducing inflammation and lower the risk of heart disease. Eaten in moderation, dark chocolate (not over-sweetened milk chocolate) can be good for you.

Choose whole grains

Whole-grain foods with fiber and rich in nutrients can help your heart health. Replace refined grains with whole grains, for example, oats, brown rice, quinoa.

Increase plant sterols

Plant foods such as nuts, whole grains, cereals, bread, legumes, fruits, and vegetables contain plant sterols. Plant sterols might help reduce cholesterol levels by limiting the amount of cholesterol that can enter the body.

Have more soluble fibers

A diet containing soluble fibers helps catch cholesterol in your gut, which prevents it from being absorbed into your bloodstream. For example, oats, barley, eggplant, chia seeds, and legumes.

Munch on nuts and peanuts

Nuts and peanuts help in protecting your heart. They contain high amounts of fiber, polyunsaturated fats, magnesium, and Vitamin E.

Eat soy

Soybeans, soy milk, and tofu can help lower your cholesterol, improve blood pressure and help keep your blood vessels flexible.

Reduce salt intake

High salt intake can increase your blood pressure levels and put you at risk of heart disease. Limit intake by avoiding processed foods.

Eat portfolio foods

Portfolio foods include all the dietary foods such as plant sterols, soluble fibers, soy protein, and nuts. These foods may lower cholesterol levels when eaten in combination.

Be active

Being physically active is important for your general health. Aim for at least 30 to 40 minutes of physical exercise a day to reduce your risk of heart attack by one-third.

Keep a healthy body weight

Try and keep your weight within the healthy weight range as this will improve your cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure and reduce inflammation. Being overweight or obese can increase your risk of heart disease and other heart problems.

Limit alcohol and avoid tobacco intake

Keep to 2 standard drinks on any occasion. Alcohol and tobacco may cause sudden death if you have existing cardiovascular disease.

Outline

Take care of your heart by eating the right fats, fish, portfolio foods, nuts, and peanuts, soy, whole grains, soluble fibers, chocolate, fruits, and vegetables, increasing plant sterols in your diet, limiting alcohol and tobacco intake, maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active, and reducing salt intake. These may improve your heart health.