8 Tips For A Healthy Heart

Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States and globally. To help Americans make meaningful lifestyle changes, the American Heart Association introduced Life’s Essential 8, a checklist that explains eight habits and health measures that affect heart health.

Heart Health

A heart-healthy diet encompasses a high intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy and lean protein.

Eat Better 

For most adults, the target level of moderate physical activity (such as walking) is 150 minutes or more per week or 75 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity physical activity.

Get Active  & Maintain Weight

Nicotine makes your heart rate and blood pressure skyrocket while carbon monoxide and tobacco rob your heart, brain and arteries of oxygen.

Quit Tobacco & Nicotine

Getting a good night’s sleep is vital to cardiovascular health. Measured by average hours of sleep per night, the optimal level is 7-9 hours daily for adults.

Get Adequate Sleep

Non-HDL (“bad”) cholesterol, rather than total cholesterol, is a reasonable predictor of cardiovascular risk.  Also, when the body does not use insulin efficiently, blood glucose levels accumulate in the bloodstream.

Manage  Cholesterol & Glucose

An optimal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg while hypertension is defined as a 130-139 mm Hg systolic pressure (the top number in a reading) or 80-89 mm Hg diastolic pressure  (bottom number).

Understand Blood Pressure Readings

Don't Get Sidelined By Heel Pain

READ THIS NEXT