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Heart-Healthy Living Tips

Staying heart-healthy is a lifestyle, supported by healthy habits and the encouragement of loved ones. These habits can help prevent heart disease, maintain normal blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar, and reduce the risk of heart attacks.

This American Heart Month, share these tips with friends and family:

• Eat Healthy: Focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, limit processed foods, and avoid foods high in saturated and trans fats. Choose foods high in fiber to help lower cholesterol and limit salt to lower blood pressure. Also, reduce sugar intake to manage blood sugar levels, and limit or avoid alcohol.
• Maintain a Healthy Weight: Carrying excess weight adds stress on the heart and increases the risk of heart disease.
• Stay Active: Aim for at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate exercise per week (e.g., brisk walking or biking). Children should get 1 hour of activity daily.
• Get Enough Sleep: Regular, quality sleep (7-8 hours) supports heart and blood vessel health. Lack of sleep is linked to higher risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke.

Consult your physician or dietitian before making any changes to your daily routine, exercise, or diet to know what is right for you.

Source cdc.gov