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Healthy Living

Following some simple diet and lifestyle advice may help manage your heart disease tooltip risk factors.

These tips, offered by the American Heart Association and WebMD, may help you get started. You may already be taking some of these steps, but it's best to talk to your doctor to determine what steps are right for you.

If you smoke, quit.
Smoking doubles your risk of having and dying from a heart attack. Your doctor can recommend the best method for you to stop smoking.

Manage your calories.
Make it your goal to burn up at least as many calories as you consume. First learn how many calories you should consume to maintain your desired weight. Then adjust your diet and increase your level of activity to achieve your goal. Your doctor can help determine the right plan for you. Learn more about typical calorie consumption from the American Heart Association site.

Watch your cholesterol levels.
Desired cholesterol levels vary by the individual. Work with your doctor to find the right cholesterol level for you. But as a general guideline, you want to have an HDL ("good") cholesterol level above 40, and if you have heart disease, an LDL ("bad") cholesterol level under 100.

Eat a balanced diet.
To achieve a balanced, heart-healthy diet, try nutrient-rich foods like vegetables, fruits, whole-grain foods, low-fat or fat-free dairy products, fish, lean meats, or poultry.

Read food labels.
By reading food labels carefully, you can avoid foods with "empty" calories, which are foods high in calories but relatively low in essential nutrients. When examining labels, be aware of foods that contain undesirable ingredients such as sodium, saturated fats, added sugars, and trans fats. Learn more about how to read food labels from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration site.

Get regular exercise.
Physical activity, such as walking, gardening, or recreational biking, can reduce your heart-disease risk factors and improve your physical health. And don't worry if you're too busy to take an exercise break. Regular activities like dusting, washing the car, or vacuuming can also provide daily exercise. Talk to your doctor about what exercise is right for you.

Once your doctor says you're well enough, aim to have at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day. You can do this in one session or in several shorter periods spread throughout your day.

You can also learn more about the importance of: