5 Things You Can Do to Support Heart Health NOW

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Supporting heart health doesn’t need to take a lot of time, money or effort. There are things you can do right now to support the health of your heart. Here, I’ll give you 5 healthy heart tips to think about and put to use in your own life.

The best part about this list of healthy tips for heart health is that they will improve other aspects of your health as well.

Tip #1: Eat More of the Right Foods

Eating more of the right foods will help support heart health. These foods include fruits, vegetables, nuts and beans.

By eating more of these foods, you are less likely to eat other, not-so-healthy foods.

This is because fruits, vegetables, nuts and beans provide antioxidants, fiber, essential vitamins and minerals while also giving you enough energy to get you through your day. They provide you with all things your body needs and none of which it does not need (saturated fats, added sugars, sodium and cholesterol).

The USDA’s 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans shows that most Americans do not get enough of these foods (1).

For a summarized version of these Guidelines, click on the following link: USDA 2020-2025 DGA Summary.

According to the USDA, we should be filling half our plate with fruits and vegetables. Beans and nuts are listed under “protein foods” along with meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, seeds and soy products. And peas and lentils are also considered protein foods in addition to also being listed under the vegetable group (1).

Here’s a bit more on food suggestions within these categories and what health-promoting nutrients they provide.

Fruits

Try a variety of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, apples, bananas, oranges, grapefruit or peaches. They contain antioxidants, flavonoids, fiber, potassium and vitamins A, B6, C, E and K.

Vegetables

Try a variety of broccoli, kale, spinach, brussels sprouts, tomatoes, carrots or bell peppers. They contain polyphenols, fiber, potassium, folate, calcium and vitamins A, C, E and K.

Nuts

Try a variety of ANY type of nut available. Enjoy walnuts for the added omega-3 fatty acids and almonds for the high amount of vitamin E. All nuts have protein and are a great source of magnesium. Additionally, they have unsaturated fats that help reduce LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol. Try eating 1 ounce at least 5 times a week for heart health!

Note: when it comes to LDL and HDL cholesterol, think “L” for lousy 😠 and “H” for happy 😊.

Beans (and Legumes)

Try a variety of any beans (think black, garbanzo, kidney, pinto, cannellini, lima, mung, navy, etc.) or lentils or peas. They are a good source of protein, fiber, magnesium and folate. Try aiming for about 1.5 cups per week and remember to choose low sodium or “no salt added” versions when buying canned beans.

To help make sure you are getting enough of these foods and more, you can download my FREE heart healthy grocery guide.

heart health grocery guide

And for some cooking inspiration, visit my RECIPES section to see some of my favorite go-to heart healthy recipes.

Tip #2: Get More Physical Activity

I’m sure it’s no surprise that getting a decent amount of physical exercise supports heart health. But how much exercise should we get in order to start seeing benefits?

Research suggests any amount of physical activity is better than nothing. Although there are specific guidelines that are recommended in order to achieve cardiovascular benefits (2).

Both the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association recommend the following for adults aged 18 to 65 years:

Moderate-intensity aerobic (endurance) physical activity for a minimum of 30 minutes, five days each week.

OR

Vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity for a minimum of 20 minutes, three days each week.

In short, aim for 150 minutes of activity each week. It might sound like a lot but if you break it down into small increments throughout your day, it’s definitely do-able!

What Counts as Moderate-Intensity Activity?

Examples of moderate-intensity activity may include:

  • Brisk walking (4 mph)
  • Water aerobics
  • Riding a bike (10-12 mph)
  • Dancing
  • Heavy cleaning (vacuuming, mopping, washing windows)
  • Mowing the lawn (with a power mower)

What Counts as Vigorous-Intensity Activity?

Examples of vigorous-intensity activity may include:

  • Hiking
  • Jogging (6 mph)
  • Shoveling
  • Carrying heavy loads
  • Bicycling fast (14-16 mph)
  • Playing soccer or basketball

You can also combine bouts of moderate and vigorous intensity activities to meet the recommended amount of physical activity for the week. Keep things interesting and try new ways to incorporate physical activity into your day.

When it comes to physical activity, MORE is MORE. There is no upper limit to the recommendations. So for those wishing to improve personal fitness, reduce risk for chronic diseases and disabilities, or prevent unhealthy weight gain, feel free to increase your activity for the week!

Please note however, it is always recommended that you inform your physician before starting any new exercise program. Start off slow and increase as you go and listen to your body. Take breaks when needed. 💪

Additional Information Regarding Physical Activity

The Department of Health and Human Services also has a great infographic available to download (3). A brief snippet is seen below. As you can see, they recommend adding muscle strengthening activity at least 2 days each week in addition to 150 minutes of aerobic activity each week. The addition of weight training is beneficial to keeping lean muscle mass as we age. This helps prevent muscle wasting and helps maintain our strength and ability to do everyday activities of daily living.

How much activity do I need?

Related Article: Check out this article by my friend Rochelle, who is a fellow RD and exercise physiologist called “14 Amazing Benefits of Physical Activity“. P.S. it includes a FREE handout!

Tip #3: Get Enough Sleep

The third healthy heart tip is to get an adequate amount of sleep. Sleep is important for many reasons, as it helps improve:

  • mental clarity
  • physical healing and muscle relief
  • immunity
  • weight management
  • and more!

People may suffer from one of two sleep conditions that end up effecting their heart; these are sleep apnea and insomnia.

Sleep Apnea: Sleep apnea is when when your airway gets blocked repeatedly during sleep, causing you to stop breathing for short amounts of time.

Insomnia: Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that makes it hard to fall asleep, stay asleep or go back to sleep if you wake in the middle of the night.

Both of these conditions can cause not only lack of sleep, but lack of QUALITY sleep which is linked to high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends most adults get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night. And older adults over 65 years of age get between 7 and 8 hours each night (4).

Your body has a natural circadian rhythm. This is your body’s internal “clock” that regulates your sleep-wake cycle. Getting regular, uninterrupted sleep each night is essential to health. The National Sleep Foundation also stresses that people who do not get consistent and appropriate amounts of sleep each night may even be endangering their health (4).

Tips for Getting Better Sleep

If you feel you do not get enough sleep, or do not get consistent amounts of uninterrupted sleep, you may want to read up on some suggested sleep tips from the Sleep Foundation (5).

One suggestion is to begin a pre-bedtime routine. This could include sipping on a cup of herbal tea that contains herbs known for their calming effects, such as chamomile, lavender, honeybush, valerian, or lemon balm.

I recommend that you try one of the following great-tasting and relaxing Paromi Tea brand caffeine-free tea blends as part of your new bedtime routine:

You should also mention any sleep issues or symptoms you may be having to your physician. Your symptoms may be related to sleep deprivation.

Your physician can also do testing to figure out if a machine called a CPAP is needed when you sleep. Or you may be prescribed medication to help your sleep condition.

There is also a test called a sleep study which is performed in a controlled setting such as a hospital or sleep lab. This test analyzes sleep phases and can help diagnose sleep disorders.

What’s interesting to note is that all four of the other areas mentioned in this article (#1- eating habits, #2- exercise, #4- smoking and #5- stress levels) all effect sleep pattern and quality. This goes to show that these areas are all connected and provide a great deal of overall health benefits if worked on harmoniously.

Tip #4: Stop Smoking (And Avoid Second and Thirdhand Smoke)

The fourth thing you can do right now to support heart health is not going to apply to everyone reading this. I’m talking specifically to those who smoke. And it doesn’t matter what you smoke. If you smoke anything at all (cigarettes, cigars, marijuana, vape pens, etc., you are not only harming your lungs but also your heart.

So, for those that still haven’t quit or are having a hard time, allow me to inform you of all the harmful effects of smoke inhalation on the heart.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking:

  • Raises triglycerides (a type of fat in your blood)
  • Lowers HDL cholesterol level
  • Makes blood sticky and more likely to clot, which can block blood flow to the heart and brain
  • Damages cells that line the blood vessels
  • Increases the buildup of plaque (fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances) in blood vessels
  • Causes thickening and narrowing of blood vessels

You may also be exposing others to secondhand smoke which is just as harmful. Review of scientific literature shows that there is about a 25 to 30 percent increase in the risk of coronary heart disease from exposure to secondhand smoke (6).

Likewise, there is also such a thing as thirdhand smoke. This is the residual contamination left behind when carcinogenic residue collects on surfaces. These surfaces include walls, ceilings, clothes, furniture, carpets, curtains and other upholsteries, etc. Thirdhand smoke is just as damaging and harmful due to the fact that the noxious chemicals can be re-mitted into the air for up to 6 months, even after a smoker has quit (7).

Children and adults are at risk for ingesting these pollutants by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching their mouths. If the thought of exposing your child to noxious chemicals caused by YOU does not compel you to quit smoking, I don’t know what will.

For Help to Quit Smoking

quitSTART- Quit Smoking app

Related Article: How Can Refraining From Smoking Benefit an Individual’s Health?

Tip #5: Manage Stress Levels

The last of these healthy heart tips is related to stress management. Preventing and managing stress levels is crucial to maintaining blood pressure levels, healthy weight, hormones and other bodily processes.

We all deal with stressors at some point in our lives. However some situations are more stressful than others. Chronic stress over long periods of time can lead to high blood pressure, which in turn may increase risk of heart attack and stroke (8).

In addition, stress may cause unhealthy behaviors such as:

  • Smoking
  • Overeating
  • Lack of physical activity
  • Unhealthy diet
  • Being overweight
  • Not taking medications as prescribed

As a result, these poor health behaviors may then lead to bigger and more chronic problems, such as:

  • Irregular heart rate and rhythm
  • Increased digestive problems
  • Increased blood pressure
  • Inflammation
  • Reduced blood flow to the heart

This mind-heart-body connection is very strong and is the reason why managing high levels of stress are essential to overall health.

Preventing and Managing High Levels of Stress

If you feel you are experiencing unusually high levels or frequencies of stress, I recommend you speak to your doctor or other trained health professional who can help. Some of the following recommendations may also help:

  • Managing areas #1,#2 and #3 from this list
  • Practicing relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation. Here’s a quick relaxing one I enjoy –> The “Do Nothing For 2 Minutes” webpage
  • Taking time for self-care
  • Finding a stimulating hobby
  • Maintaining social connections with friends and family

Related Article: Maintaining a Healthful Diet During Times of Stress

Summary

Above all, I hope you realize that there is always something you can do RIGHT NOW. Even if all 5 of these healthy heart tips are ones you already know, I hope I could at least provide some additional resources to help you improve upon the areas you need. There is no time like the present to get started. And you do not need to make multiple diet and lifestyle changes all at once. Take it at your own pace. Just remember to be consistent and take it one step at a time.

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