5 important Tips for maintaining a healthy heart.

On earth, one of The leading cause of death for both women and men is heart disease, claiming approximately 600,000 lives each year. This equates to one in every four deaths. What’s more, someone has a heart attack every 34 seconds in the U.S. (CDC).

So today, we want to provide these top five tips for maintaining a healthy heart:

1. Eat a healthy diet. Eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables is key, and beans and other low-fat sources of protein, and certain types of fish also can reduce the risk of heart disease. Foods low in saturated fat and trans fat, and high in fiber can help to avoid high cholesterol. Also, limiting salt or sodium in your diet can decrease your blood pressure.

2. Stay physically active. Regular exercise can help with maintaining a healthy weight, and lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. The surgeon general recommends that adults should engage in moderate-intensity exercise for at least 30 minutes four days per week.

3. Don’t smoke and limit alcohol intake. Smoking cigarettes greatly increases the risk of developing heart disease. If you do smoke, work with your doctor to find a way to help you quit. Drinking too much alcohol can elevate your blood pressure. Women should stick to no more than one drink per day, and men to no more than two drinks per day.

4. Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight can put you at an increased risk for heart disease. Reducing your weight by as little as 10 percent can lower blood pressure, blood cholesterol level and the risk of diabetes. A doctor can help you determine whether your weight is in a healthy range or not.

5. Get regular health screenings. High cholesterol and high blood pressure can damage the heart and blood vessels. But without testing for them, you probably won’t know whether you have these conditions. Regular screenings can tell you what your numbers are and whether you need to take action.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, visit one of the local clinics in the East Valley.