Experts Reveal How to Boost Your Heart Health With These Workout, Diet, and Lifestyle Tips

With February being American Heart Month, now is the perfect time to adopt new habits to improve heart health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, “Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States and can affect women at any age.”

Additionally, “Over 60 million women (44%) in the United States are living with some form of heart disease,” which could include Coronary artery disease, Arrhythmia, or Heart failure, per the CDC.

In a recent Today article, experts shared tips on exercise, diet, and lifestyle that can help combat heart disease.

Exercise

Today Show fitness contributor Stephanie Mansour described the ideal workout.

“The combination of cardio and strength training is so good for improving heart health because while cardio helps to increase blood flow and helps your heart pump blood more efficiently, strength training helps to strengthen the heart itself (the heart is a muscle!) and also lowers blood pressure,” Mansour told the outlet. “When you lower your blood pressure, you allow your heart to work less hard.”

Diet

“Diets high in saturated fat and added sugar raise LDL cholesterol, which can accumulate in artery walls and form plaque over time, narrowing blood vessels and increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke,” Rizzo told Today.

“Conversely, plant-based foods rich in fiber, antioxidants and unsaturated fats help lower LDL cholesterol and inflammation, preventing plaque buildup and supporting healthy blood flow to the heart to keep it healthy and strong,” she added.

The first tip involves adding beans to one meal a day, as the fibrous food can help lower cholesterol. Secondly, Rizzo suggested replacing one refined carb with a whole grain, such as quinoa, which is typically more nutritious. And lastly, Rizzo shared that cooking one meal a week with healthy unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, avocado, or nuts, will help reduce inflammation and keep cholesterol levels balanced.

Lifestyle

Keeping stress levels under control is an important way to help your heart, according to Mansour, “because reducing stress, whether it be by exercise, breath work, or mindfulness techniques, helps to lower cortisol and adrenaline, which lowers blood pressure.”

Some ways to de-stress can also be physical and exercise-related, like practicing yoga or going for a walk.

Lastly, getting enough sleep is important, as the CDC reports that not getting at least seven hours each night can lead to health problems like high blood pressure, which can be a factor in heart disease.