Did you know that keeping physically active and good nutrition are keys to having a healthy heart? Physical activity helps keep your weight in a healthy range, strengthens the heart muscle, and wards off arterial damage that can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Aerobic activity and resistance training are particularly important, however, in order to support these activities, flexibility training is essential as well. Ideally, we need to have the following: 30 mins of cardio exercise per day, 5 days a week. . 2 non-consecutive days of strength training. Daily stretching, including after exercise. “What you put on your plate can influence just about every aspect of heart health, from blood pressure and inflammation to cholesterol levels and triglycerides.” It is important to avoid processed and fried foods. The following are 15 foods that can help maximize heart health:
Cartoon heart character running on treadmill for design.
1. Leafy green vegetables 2. Whole grains 3. Berries 4. Avocadoes 5. Fatty fish and fish oil 6. Walnuts 7. Beans 8. Dark chocolate 9. Tomatoes 10. Almonds 11. Seeds 12. Garlic 13. Olive oil 14. Edamame 15. Green Tea.
