4 simple lifestyle habits to help prevent heart disease and stay healthy – Press Enterprise

Cardiovascular disease, which affects the heart and blood vessels, remains the largest murderer for both men and women in the United States. Paying attention to risk factors and living a healthy lifestyle can help keep your heart healthy.

An astonishing one in four deaths in the United States is due to heart disease. Although the statistics are horrifying, reducing the risk of heart disease is clear and simple, and in most cases heart disease is preventable.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about half of all Americans have at least one of the top three risk factors for heart disease: high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and smoking. Other risk factors that cannot be controlled include age and family medical history.

A solid plan to reduce the risk of heart disease includes regular health examinations and ongoing management of current medical concerns such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. In addition, the role of lifestyle measures such as healthy eating, physical activity, stress management and smoking cessation cannot be underestimated.

Here are some simple yet powerful lifestyle habits that you can implement right now to protect your heart.

1. Go out and walk

Walking is a relatively easy and accessible physical activity and has many health benefits. Walking is especially important for those who sit or work at their desks for hours every day. It’s a great source of aerobic exercise and can also improve brain function and reduce stress levels. You don’t need flashy gym membership or equipment and you can go at your own pace, so there’s little good excuse for not walking. Talk to your doctor before you start if you are considering implementing a plan to add walking or other physical activity.

2. Build a culinary repertoire

Eating well is not about following a restricted diet, but about containing various ingredients that promote good health. One way to improve your diet is to find healthy recipes that you can prepare at home. Cookbooks and food blogs focused on dietary plans (DASH) to stop high blood pressure or Mediterranean diets can provide exciting recipes aimed at eating for heart health. increase. Build a routine to cook new and interesting heart-healthy recipes at home.

3. Increase fiber intake

Dietary fiber-rich foods are especially important for heart health as they play a role in reducing cholesterol, regulating blood sugar levels, improving intestinal health and reducing inflammation. In addition, fiber-containing foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds tend to be excellent sources of essential vitamins and minerals. A variety of these vegetable foods selected daily will help you get 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories you burn.

4. Read food labels for restricted nutrients

Although nutrition labeling is small, it is a useful tool to help you understand what your food is. Sodium, saturated fats, and added sugars are associated with adverse health effects and are considered limiting nutrients because many of us consume them in excess. Pay attention to the serving size on the label and the serving size included in the package. Daily tolerances for sodium, saturated fats, and added sugars depend on factors such as overall calorie needs and individual health concerns, but food labels help you compare and select foods.