Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for women and men; people of all ages, races and ethnicities can get the life-threatening disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Therefore, it is important for all people to take steps to improve their heart health.
Basics
A healthy heart means having low cholesterol levels, healthy blood pressure levels and no undiscovered heart conditions or defects. You can take many steps to increase your heart health, including making lifestyle and dietary changes. Consult a doctor to determine whether you have any unknown heart conditions that require medical treatment.
Benefits
Having a healthy heart can improve a person's overall quality of life and lifespan. Having an unhealthy heart can result in an untimely death from a heart attack or a restricted lifestyle due to high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
Significance
Regular doctor's visits will play a significant role in maintaining heart health. According to the Family Doctor.org, people over the age of 18 should have their blood pressure tested every two years and possibly more often. A blood test is required to determine cholesterol levels; men over 35 years of age and women over 45 years of age should have their cholesterol checked at least every five years, notes the Family Doctor.org.
Considerations
Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids can help improve heart health. Often, the consumption of fatty fish, such as salmon and halibut, are recommended to improve heart health, but this is not always an option for people. Pregnant women have to take care when consuming fish because fish can contain high amounts of mercury, which can have negative effects on the developing fetus. Also, vegetarians and vegans do not eat fish.
There are other dietary options for omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in high amounts in flaxseed, which can be ground and added to breads, yogurt, smoothies and baked goods. Also, walnuts provide a rich amount of omega-3 fatty acids, and some soy milks have been enriched with omega-3 fatty acids.
Tips
Commit to a regular exercise routine. Exercise is an important part of keeping your heart healthy, because it helps you maintain a proper weight, lose weight and keep your heart working properly. Achieve a healthy weight. Even small amounts of weight loss can reduce a person's cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Eat foods rich in fiber. Fiber-rich foods help decrease cholesterol levels, and you should be eating anywhere from 25 to 35 g of fiber per day, depending on your age and gender. Watch the salt intake. Sodium can increase blood pressure in some people. To keep your heart healthy, restrict your daily sodium intake to no more than 2,000 mg. Drink alcohol in moderation, or don't drink it at all. Drinking more than one alcoholic beverage for women and two alcoholic beverages for men per day can increase blood pressure. Replace some animal-based protein with plant-based protein to decrease the intake of saturated fat and cholesterol. Restrict the amount of high-fat meats that you consume. Stop smoking. Smoking has overall negative effects on the heart.
