MZJA, the lifestyle changes to keep your heart healthy are similar to what you should do to help prevent many other diseases, such as diabetes and certain types of cancer. If you have coronary heart disease or are at high risk to develop it, you should do the following:
Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits while avoiding trans fats and saturated fats.
Keep *lo** pressure in the normal range, ideally with a systolic *lo** pressure of less than 120 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).
Don't smoke.
Get your low-density lipoprotein, or LDL (bad), cholesterol under 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) and perhaps as low as 70 mg/dL. This usually requires medications such as a statin drug.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Strive to keep your *lo** sugar levels normal.
Manage stress.
Become more physically active, and make daily exercise a priority at an intensity level recommended by your doctor.
MZJA, the lifestyle changes to keep your heart healthy are similar to what you should do to help prevent many other diseases, such as diabetes and certain types of cancer. If you have coronary heart disease or are at high risk to develop it, you should do the following:
Heart Health Quiz
See what you know about cholesterol and *lo** pressure readings, diet, exercise, even alcohol with this heart health quiz.
Access the quiz:
http://www.intelihealth.com/cgi-bin/makelog.pl?pqsname=IHHealthyHeart&mode=p&graphics=1&p=~br,IHW|~st,8775|~r,WSIHW000|~b,*|&&WH=/IH/&MIval=ihtIH