Heart-Healthy Advice You Need

Whether you're at high risk for heart trouble or you're trying to control early-stage heart disease, here are some simple lifestyle changes you can make.

Exercise and Eat Right

• Think international. People who eat a traditional Mediterranean or Asian diet appear to have lower rates of heart disease than those who eat a typical American diet. Incorporate elements of these diets into your healthy eating plan.
  
• Eat heart-smart foods. Choose foods that can reduce cholesterol and improve heart health, such as fruits (apples, avocados, dried fruits, grapefruit, oranges, strawberries), vegetables (broccoli, carrots, corn, lima beans, onions), seafood (clams, mussels, oysters), fish containing omega-3 fatty acids (salmon and bluefish), soy, nuts and whole-grain breads and cereals.
  
• Cut the fat. To keep your cholesterol level down, limit the amount of fat you eat, especially saturated fat. Your total fat intake should be no more than 30% of your daily calories. Focus on low-fat alternatives to red meat, such as fish or skinless chicken or turkey. Eating fish several times a week can cut your risk of heart attack by as much as half. Lower your intake of dairy fats by switching to low-fat or skim varieties. Or try soy milk -- soy protein can lower cholesterol.
• Spice it up. If you have high blood pressure, cut your sodium intake. In fact, researchers now think that even people whose blood pressure is within normal range should cut back on sodium. Avoid processed foods, which contain a lot of sodium, and ease up on salt at mealtime. But don't settle for bland fare. Add flavor with salsa, curry, peppers, or garlic. Eating one to three cloves of garlic a day has been shown to reduce blood pressure and possibly lower cholesterol.
  
• Add rough stuff. Soluble fiber -- plentiful in fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains -- prevents arterial plaque buildup. Studies show that eating three or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily can lower the risk of heart attack and stroke by 25% or more. In one study, eating cooked dried beans daily lowered LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, by 20% in just three weeks. Other research showed that a diet high in whole grains can cut a woman's risk of dying from heart disease by up to 15%. And dozens of studies confirm that eating oats has a cholesterol-lowering effect.
  
• Seeing red. Drinking alcohol in moderation raises HDL, or "good," cholesterol and "thins" the blood, reducing the likelihood of clots that can cause heart attack and stroke. Red wine offers additional benefits. Its dark pigments are rich in bioflavonoids that prevent the oxidation of LDL, making it less likely to stick to artery walls. Research showed that people who drank two 8-ounce glasses of red wine a day were 40% less likely to have a heart attack than those who didn't imbibe. But don't overdo it -- too much alcohol raises your triglyceride level (and high triglyceride levels are linked to coronary artery disease and untreated diabetes in some people). And if you have an alcohol problem, the harm far outweighs any potential benefit. Other good sources of bioflavonoids: black and green tea, onions, kale and apples.

• Work your heart. The best preventive medicine for your heart is aerobic exercise. It reduces high blood pressure and atherosclerosis by widening the blood vessels. Plus, it raises "good" cholesterol levels. Choose an activity that works the large muscles of your legs and buttocks (like brisk walking or bicycling), and strive to reach your target heart rate for at least 15 to 20 minutes, three or four times a week.
  
• An (up)lifting idea. An American Heart Association (AHA) survey found that lifting weights a few times a week can improve heart health in some people. That's because stronger muscles can lower your heart rate and blood pressure. Having more muscle tissue also raises your metabolism, which helps control your weight. But don't skip the brisk walk. The AHA recommends pumping iron in addition to aerobic exercise.
  
• Be flexible. Flexibility exercises like yoga not only help keep your joints limber but also help cut the production of stress hormones that can contribute to heart disease.

• Healthy Heart
• • Get Motivated
• Heart-Healthy Food
• • Fight Disease
• Exercise
• Heart Disease

• Get Out of Debt
• Getting out of debt is one of the most important positive steps you can make for yourself and your family. Make 2008 the year you finally clean up your finances.
• 
• Lose the Weight
• Maintaining a healthy weight is always important. Here are some easy changes you can make to your diet and fitness routine in 2008 to get back on the track to wellness.
• 
• Quit Bad Habits
• Bad habits are crutches that hold us back. Read the following articles to begin the process of moving forward with your life in 2008.
• 
• Organize Your Life
• Put everything in its place this year with these tips for maximizing space and cleanliness.
• 
• How to Make Time For Friends and Family
• Ideas on how to spend more quality time with your nearest and dearest.
• 

See All Make It Matter

• Be Inspired
• 10 Celebrities Who Give Back
• 7 Amazing Stories, $700,000 to Charity
• Virginia Cervasio: Making It Matter
• PLUS:
• Quiz: What's Your Celebrity Cause IQ?