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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