Most Americans are unaware that taking precautionary measures such as consuming a healthy diet, managing stress levels and getting adequate physical activity can go a long way in reducing the risks of heart-related diseases.
Here are five simple steps that you can take to maintain a healthy heart:
• Eat a Diet Rich in Fruits and Vegetables: The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) new Dietary Guidelines say adults should consume the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables each day to lower their risk of heart disease.
• Exercise: Physical activity helps improve heart function, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and boost energy. The American Heart Association reports that 38.6 percent of United States adults say they do not engage in leisure-time physical activity. Adults should have at least 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity most days of the week.
• Add Fiber to Your Diet: Fiber offers many heart-health benefits, including lowering the risk of coronary heart disease and blood cholesterol. Try to get the recommended amount of fiber (25 to 30 grams) in your daily diet.
• Consume Omega-3s: Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (EPA and DHA) help maintain a healthy cardiovascular system by maintaining cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the body. Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids are seafood, such as salmon, tuna, crab and shrimp.
• Supplement Your Diet: A good supplement can function as your nutritional seat belt. Health professionals, including doctors, nutritionists and even the Food and Drug Association (FDA), agree that many diets in the U.S. lack optimum levels of many key nutrients such as antioxidants, omega-3s and plant sterols required to maintain a healthy heart and that adding a daily multivitamin or dietary supplement can help fill the nutritional gaps.
Herbalife, a leading provider of nutritional supplements, has developed, with the guidance of Nobel Laureate in Medicine Dr. Louis Ignarro, a line of heart- health supplements with ingredients for key areas of cardiovascular health for adults, including maintaining healthy cholesterol, triglyceride and homocysteine levels already within the normal ranges and healthy circulation.
