7 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease
In honor of National Wear Red Day, we're sharing a few ways you can reduce your risk of heart disease. Did you know heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States?
How about the fact that 80% of premature heart disease and stroke are preventable?
(At the end of this list, don't miss your 7-day heart healthy meal plan! )
Here are a few ways to reduce your risk of heart disease:
Exercise regularly: Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week. This can include walking, jogging, stationary cycling, gardening, playing with your grandkids or any other form of exercise that you enjoy.
Eat a heart-healthy diet: Focus on eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats like olive oil. Limit your intake of unhealthy fats, salt, and added sugars.
Quit smoking: If you smoke, quitting is one of the best things you can do for your heart health.
Manage stress: Chronic stress can increase the risk of heart disease, so it's important to find ways to manage stress in your life. This can include practicing relaxation techniques, such as meditation or deep breathing, and finding healthy ways to cope with stress. The Calm App is a wonderful free tool to help with this.
Get enough sleep: Over 50? Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Poor sleep can increase the risk of heart disease, so it's important to get enough quality sleep.
Monitor your blood pressure: High blood pressure can damage your heart and blood vessels, so it's important to monitor your blood pressure regularly and keep it under control. One in 3 adults don't even know they have high blood pressure!
Limit alcohol consumption: If you drink alcohol, it's important to limit your consumption to no more than one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men.
By following these simple steps, you can help keep your heart healthy and reduce your risk of heart disease.
More resources:
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Photo by Puwadon Sang-ngern
Cardiovascular health, Heart-healthy diet, Hypertension, Cholesterol management, Aging and heart disease, Lifestyle changes for heart health, Exercise and heart health, Nutrition and heart disease, Preventive care for heart disease, Heart disease risk factors
