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10 Small Ways To Make Big Improvements In Your Heart Health

Date: 02/21/18

Fast facts about heart disease in Louisiana:

  • In 2016, 5.3 percent of adults had been diagnosed with heart disease.
  • In 2016, 5.5 percent of adults had reported a heart attack.
  • In 2016, 39.3 percent of adults had high blood pressure.
  • In 2016, 39.2 percent of adults had high cholesterol.

Source: America’s Health Rankings, 2016

You can reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke by making small changes.

  1. Take a walk every day. Walking improves your cholesterol levels and lowers your risk of heart disease. Aim for 30 minutes, but remember, it’s okay to start slow and build your way up.
  2. Eat at least one vegetable or fruit every day. Vegetables and fruits have lots of vitamins and nutrients that are good for your heart. Ideally, half of your plate at each meal should be made up of fruits and vegetables.
  3. Add whole grains, like oatmeal or whole wheat toast, to your breakfast. Whole grains provide you with iron, vitamins, fiber, and nutrients that are good for your heart. Remember to check labels to make sure you’re getting whole grains.
  4. Cut at least one sugary beverage, like sodas, from your day. Cutting drinks like soda and sugary fruit juices from your daily diet helps to reduce your weight, and that’s good for your heart. Replace sodas with water.
  5. Add nuts, like walnuts or almonds, to your snack routine. Try to have four to five servings of nuts, seeds or beans each week. These foods are high in protein. Protein helps the body build new cells and keeps tissue healthy.
  6. Once a week, skip the red meat and have fish instead. Eating lean proteins, like fish, is better for your heart. Ideally, protein should be about a quarter of your plate.
  7. Spend a few minutes stretching and breathing deeply every day. Stretching and deep breathing help to reduce stress, and that’s good for your heart and your blood pressure. Spend a few minutes every day doing simple neck and shoulder stretches while breathing deeply.
  8. Reduce the amount of salt you use every day. Reducing the amount of salt, or sodium, you eat may help control your blood pressure and reduce your risk for heart attack. Look for reduced sodium foods, and check labels for the total amount of sodium per serving.
  9. Take care of your teeth with regular brushing and flossing. Poor oral health is related to problems like heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Brushing and flossing every day, and getting regular care from a dentist, is key to good oral health.
  10. Get plenty of sleep. Not getting enough regular sleep may put you at a higher risk for heart disease. Sleeping too little has been linked to higher blood pressure and inflammation.