Want to improve the health of your heart? There are a few simple tips that you can follow--and a lot of them have to do with what you eat. Since February is heart month, it's a great time to pick up some healthy habits that could extend your life.
"The reality is that 90 percent of the risk of a first heart attack is actually controllable risk," said Bryan Heart cardiologist Keith Miller in an interview with Nebraska TV. "And I can't emphasize that enough to people that you really have the power to take your own health into your control and have a large effect on what your future is going to be where your heart health is concerned."
So what can you do to improve heart health? The first thing you can do is eat breakfast--and make sure it's healthy. In fact, researchers have found that those who skipped breakfast had a 27 percent higher risk of coronary heart disease, according to ABC News. Picking up a relaxing, physical hobby like yoga can also improve heart health, and being social can also help reduce blood pressure.
That's not all you can do, though. Keeping an eye on your cholesterol is especially important, according to KOAM TV. Total cholesterol should be below 200 mg/dL. This means eating right. Have meals that include a wide variety of fruits and vegetables rather than reaching for that burger or steak. Eating oily fish twice a week, like salmon and mackerel, can also help up your intake of good, omega 3 fatty acids.
"There are plenty of small changes you can make in your day that can have a big impact on your heart health," said Richard Becker, a professor of medicine at Duke University Medical Center, in an interview with NBC News. By making these small changes you can live a longer, healthier life. Eat right, exercise and do what you can to make your heart as healthy as can be this February.
