8 Steps to Keep Your Heart Healthy

. Chapters 0:00 Introduction 0:31 Add More Vegetables and Fruits to Your Diet 0:59 Eat More Fiber 1:26 Move to Low-Fat Dairy 1:46 Shift Towards Trans Fats 2:06 Decrease Your Salt Intake 2:27 Go for Omega-3 Fats 2:48 Increase your movement 3:10 Limit Alcohol Intake • A total of 17.9 million people of all deaths around the world take place due to cardiovascular diseases.  • That is 31% of the total deaths counted.  • This is why keeping your heart healthy is so important. The heart pumps blood throughout the body, keeping it active.  • A healthy heart keeps your brain and body strong and active.  • Here are 8 steps that can help you do that: Add More Vegetables and Fruits to Your Diet • Not only are vegetables and fruits low on calories, but they also contain significant vitamins and minerals that you need in your daily life.  • They keep you full while ensuring that your caloric intake is fairly balanced.  • More than that, they are full of antioxidants that remove free radicals from the blood and make sure no oxidation takes place, protecting your body’s tissues and the heart.  Eat More Fiber • You might know the main benefit of fiber as helping with digestion. While that is true, fiber can also play a significant role in keeping your heart strong and healthy.  • Soluble fiber, which you can get from food items such as berries, oats, nuts, and apples, can help lower cholesterol levels in the blood.  • This decreases the stress on your heart and keeps it strong.  Move to Low-Fat Dairy • Whole milk and other dairy products made from it are rich in saturated fats.  • These fats line along your arteries and block them.  • You can counter that by adding low-fat dairy to your regular diet, such as skimmed milk, low-fat cheeses, and Greek yogurt. Shift Towards Trans Fats • Not all fats are bad for your heart. Unsaturated fats can help improve your heart’s health.  • You can get unsaturated fats from foods such as olives, avocados, peanut butter, nuts.  • One of the key benefits of unsaturated fats is their help in lowering cholesterol.  Decrease Your Salt Intake • Sodium can play a major role in increasing blood pressure and can cause kidney problems.  • Decreasing salt intake is one of the first steps advised for anyone with a heart condition.  • You can maintain your blood pressure by reducing your salt intake, which decreases stress on your heart.  Go for Omega-3 Fats • Salmon and other fatty fish are very good for your heart as they contain omega-3 fatty acids.  • They help decrease “bad” LDL cholesterol while maintaining “good” HDL cholesterol.  • You can also find omega-3 fats in walnuts and flax seeds.  Increase Your Movement • Managing your weight is key to ensuring your heart’s health.  • Putting on weight can add more stress on your heart, which can cause problems if left unchecked.  • Try to get 30 minutes of exercise, moderate or fast-paced, every single day.  • You will not just lose weight; you will also strengthen your heart.  Limit Alcohol Intake • Excessive or regular alcohol intake can cause you to gain weight, which adds stress to your heart.  • Limit your alcohol intake and try to consume as little as you can.  • Couple that with more activity and you will have a much healthier heart.  These were 8 easy steps you can take to keep your heart healthy.