Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the world. Yet, there are many simple lifestyle habits you can adopt to help reduce your risk of developing it.
Here are eight steps to help prevent heart disease that are appropriate for all ages:
- Eat a wide variety of healthful foods. Eat meals that contain many fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, low-fat or fat-free dairy, and healthy protein foods. Avoid foods that are high in saturated and trans fatty acids, added sugar, and sodium (salt).
- Maintain a healthy weight. If you are overweight, talk to your doctor or registered dietitian about how to lose weight safely.
- Be physically active at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
- Check your blood pressure regularly and have a doctor test your cholesterol levels at least once every five years.
- Get tested for diabetes and monitor your blood sugar (glucose) levels closely.
- Avoid use of and exposure to smoking and tobacco products.
- If you consume alcohol, do so in moderation. No more than one serving a day for women and two a day for men.
- Visit your doctor on a regular basis, even when you feel fine. Your doctor can check for and identify early signs of heart disease, sometimes long before symptoms start.
For more information, read Heart Health: Managing Heart Disease Through Diet: https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/nutrition-food-safety-health/heart-health-managing-heart-disease-through-diet-9-384/.
Did You Know?
Over the years, maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle can prevent and even reverse many unhealthy conditions, such as hypertension (high blood pressure), type two diabetes, or heart disease.
