Nutrition expert Dr. Mehmet Oz has devoted television programs, videos and articles to what he calls diet and exercise challenges. He asks people to gradually transition to healthier habits in a limited amount of time, typically a month. Several of his challenges can improve your cardiovascular health, but his healthy heart challenge specifically addresses concerns for people in danger of developing heart problems.
Heart-Healthy Fiber
Emphasize whole, fresh foods that support cardiovascular health. Eat a diet rich in fiber, which aids your digestive process, lowers bad cholesterol levels and promotes heart health. Choose from unsweetened whole grains such as oatmeal, couscous, wheat berries, wheat germ, polenta, quinoa, amaranth, millet, barley, wild rice, whole wheat pasta and brown rice. Fresh fruit and vegetables also contain fiber and other essential nutrients. Try a bowl of berries for dessert or a snack of lettuce wraps with chopped avocado and red onion filling. Start your day with frozen banana chunks and a splash of nut milk whipped into a smoothie.
Healthy Fats
Not all sources of fat hurt cardiovascular health. Dr. Oz recommends mono- and polyunsaturated fats but adds that they should make up only about one-fourth of your daily caloric intake. Avoid animal fat and deep-fried foods. Eat fish at least a couple times per week. Try grilled or broiled salmon drizzled with olive oil. Garnish salads and soups with nuts and seeds. Add avocado to your sandwich, omelet or salad.
Exercise
A comprehensive plan for cardiovascular health includes getting active every day. The American Heart Association's physical activity guidelines support Dr. Oz's exercise plan. Set a goal of raising your heart rate for at least 30 minutes every day. A slow stroll will not suffice. Walk briskly enough to make you breathe more deeply and sweat. Pump your arms to make your heart pump harder. As you get fit, make your walk more challenging by climbing hills; interspersing jogging with walking; or doing calisthenics, stretching and strengthening exercises.
Considerations
Food and exercise form only a part of Dr. Oz's healthy heart challenge. He also asks that you quit smoking, citing smoking cessation as the primary thing you can do to improve your cardiovascular health. He suggests reducing stress in your life and getting at least seven hours of sleep every night. He advises you to schedule a visit with your doctor to have some baseline tests performed. Find out your blood pressure, your cholesterol levels and your body mass index. These numbers will guide you toward setting healthy dietary and weight loss goals. These goals should include limiting sodium by reducing your intake of packaged, processed and junk foods. These dietary changes will also lower your consumption of foods that contain trans fat.
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