10 Ways to Take Care of Your Heart During American Heart Month

There are several different things you can do to keep your heart in shape. According to the American Heart Association, ten ways include:

• Balance calories with physical activity. The recommendation for adults is to get 150 minutes, or 2.5 hours, of heart-pumping exercise per week. It's important to spend less time sitting and more time moving your body. Even light-intensity activity can help you get the job done, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator or walking around the block.
• Reach for a variety of fruits and vegetables. The more color, the better! Fruits and vegetables are known to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease because they contain antioxidants that can prevent injuries to the arteries. Avoid processed foods and opt for fresh, whole foods as much as you can, such as leafy greens and berries.
• Choose whole grains. Whole grains are rich in fiber, which helps maintain a healthy cholesterol level. Replacing refined grains with whole grains can lower your risk of heart disease. Try incorporating more whole-grain breads, brown rice, quinoa and whole-wheat pasta into your diet.
• Include healthy protein sources, mostly plants and seafood. Plant-based proteins are high in fiber, protein and antioxidants. This includes proteins such as legumes, nuts and fish. You can also opt for lean meats and avoid processed meats. Lean meats are 95% lean ground beef, pork tenderloin or skinless chicken and turkey.
• Use non-tropical liquid plant oils. Replacing bad fats, saturated and trans-fat, with good fats, monosaturated and polysaturated, is great for your heart. Common healthier cooking oils include olive, avocado, canola, vegetable, soybean and peanut oil.
• Choose minimally processed foods. Processed foods mean they were changed, prepared or packaged in some way before being eaten. Processed foods range from minimally processed –like salad mix, unsalted nuts or frozen fruits – to highly or ultra-processed foods – like sugary drinks, candy and chips. It's important to read food labels and avoid highly processed items that are high in saturated fats, sodium and added sugars.
• Subtract added sugars. Sugars in your diet can be natural or added. Naturally added sugars are found in fruits and milk. Added sugars are sugar and syrups put into food during preparation or processing. Added sugars contribute zero nutritional benefit and add many calories that can lead to being overweight or obese.
• Cut down on salt. Most sodium in our diets comes from packaged and processed foods. Eating less processed foods helps reduce sodium intake. That can lower your blood pressure and prevent high blood pressure from developing.
• Limit alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure. It's recommended that men allow for two alcoholic drinks per day and women allow for one alcoholic drink per day if you do choose to drink.
• Do all this whenever you eat! Be mindful and pay attention to what you're eating and how it makes you feel. Starting with small improvements in diet and exercise can go a long way to improving and maintaining a healthy heart.

Need a helpful reminder? Visit 10 Ways to Improve Your Heart Health  from AHA.