When it comes to heart healthy foods, choosing the right foods is not as hard as you might think. In general you should seek out foods that are low in cholesterol. This includes foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole wheats and items high in fiber.

Additionally, if you are planning a diet built around low cholesterol foods remember that water is a key ingredient to success. Drinking water will both make you feel full and fight bad cholesterol in your system.

Converting to a low cholesterol diet plan has many great effects. In addition to lowering your cholesterol, you may find that you feel more energized and happy. Plus, you are building up your immune system.

Low cholesterol foods are great for you all around, anyway you look at it. Lowering your cholesterol is never a bad thing, especially in older adults who are more prone to heart attacks or heart disease. Maintaining a diet containing low cholesterol foods will help you get on track to overall better health so eat up!

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Heart Health concern shouldn’t be limited to adults. Today, more and more kids are overweight and many are dealing with obesity which can have adverse effects on how their heart functions.
There have been so many technological advances that have made life easier today, which has been a great benefit, but as with anything, all the good doesn’t come without consequence and in this case it is laziness among many of today’s youth.
Here are some tips to ensure that your child is on track to keeping their heart healthy:
Get Out More
Today, kids are inside more than ever. With television, video games, computers, and a multitude of music players, kids do not feel much of a need to get outside to enjoy themselves. You should encourage your kids to get outside more. In fact, get out there and join them! Your heart matters too!
Get Involved in Sports
Sports are a great way for kids to get exercise (and they are fun). It may take some time for your kids to find a sport that they like but there are so many options that they are bound to find one that suits them.
Work
Working can also be a great heart healthy activity for kids. Of course, younger children cannot get your typically jobs. But many kids can do yard work or house work. These activities will keep them active, teach them work ethics and maybe even make them a little extra cash- what child doesn’t like that?
Be Creative
The point is to get your kids active so the options are endless. Your kids may not always be motivated to be active, but you can help them get into more healthy habits which will benefit them for years to come.

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Making changes today can make all the difference to your heart now and in the future. Studies suggest that well over half of the heart attacks experieinced by people can be prevented through small lifestyle modification. Just follow these simple tips to be on your way to better cardiovascular health.

Don’t smoke

If you are a smoker, you need to quit now. The nicotine and other substances in cigarette smoke can seriously damage your cardiovascular system putting you at increased risk for heart attack.

Exercise

Aerobic exercise - any exercise that makes the heart and lungs work harder to supply the muscles with oxygen - is a great way to strengthen your heart. Studies show that individuals who perform some sort of regular exercise, including walking briskly (at least three miles per hour) as little as three hours per week, decrease their risk of heart attack by 30 to 40 percent. Furthermore, those who walked at the same pace five hours per week cut their risk in half! It is important to remember that your exercise routine can be broken down into 10- and 15-minute intervals.

Eat Healthy

A heart healthy diet is one that is balanced in calories and includes healthy amounts of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and heart healthy fats.

Trans fats (found in margarines, fried foods and those containing “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil”) and saturated fats (found in red meats, butter, cheese and whole milk dairy products) raise the LDL (bad) cholesterol and should be limited. Replacing these fats with modest amounts of heart healthy oils including olive, canola, corn, safflower and sunflower oils, in addition to nuts and peanut butter is recommended.

Maintain a healthy weight

Being overweight can more than double your risk of heart disease and contributes to other factors that play a role in heart disease, such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Know your numbers

By monitoring your blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels you should have a good idea of what your “numbers” are and that will enable you to make healthier nutrition choices

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