5 Ways to Improve Your Heart Health

Heart disease continues to top the charts as being the leading cause of death among men and women. In a typical year, over a half-million Americans will die from it, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Also known as cardiovascular disease, heart disease encompasses any adverse or otherwise harmful condition of the heart. So, what can you do to improve your heart health and protect it from disease?

#1) Manage Your Weight

Body weight and heart health go hand in hand. If you are overweight, more pressure will be placed against your arteries, blood vessels and heart. At the same time, your heart will have to work harder to move blood through your body. This is why people who are obese or overweight have higher rates of heart disease than their counterparts with a healthy weight.

#2) Control Your Stress

To improve your heart health, you must learn the control your stress. Stress is a natural bodily reaction to a potentially hazardous scenario. When we encounter something that can cause us harm, our bodies respond by producing stress hormones. Unfortunately, allowing stress hormones to go unchecked can take a toll on your heart. Even if you are just mentally stressed, your heart will become physically stressed. Therefore, you must learn to control your stress. Otherwise, you'll have a greater risk of heart disease.

#3) Avoid Smoking

Smoking is undoubtedly a bad habit. Cigarette smoke contains thousands of chemicals, many of which have been shown to cause cancer. Furthermore, people who smoke tend to have higher rates of heart disease than nonsmokers. If you currently smoke, you should make a point to kick this bad habit. The longer you smoke, the greater your risk of heart disease.

#4) Add More Omega-3s to Your Diet

Increasing your intake of omega-3s can improve your heart health. What are omega-3s exactly? They are essential fatty acids that clean up cholesterol in your body. Specifically, omega-3s reduce levels of bad cholesterol and increase levels of good cholesterol. You can find omega-3s in nuts, fish, avocados and olive oil.

#5) Perform Aerobic Exercise

All forms of exercise are good for your heart. Exercise increases your heart rate, essentially conditioning your heart so that it's able to pump blood faster and more efficiently through your body. With that said, aerobic exercise is particularly beneficial to your heart. Also known as cardiovascular exercise, it consists of low-intensity activities that keep your lungs and heart working at a sustained level.