Have A Healthy Heart

What can you do to have a healthier heart? Here are a few tips to help your heart pump a little harder, a little easier.

• Don't smoke. Smoking is not only linked to lung cancer, it's also a contributing factor to heart disease.
• Get moving. Regular exercise is an important part of a heart-healthy routine. Try to work in 30 minutes of activity every other day.
• Watch your weight. Not only are people at a healthy weight less likely to develop heart disease, they are less likely to have high blood pressure, diabetes, gallbladder disease and some types of cancer.
• Limit fat in your diet. Each gram of fats represents nine calories--more than twice the calories found in carbohydrates or proteins. Limit fat to less than 30 percent of your total calories.
• Balance the type of food you eat. High fat intake raises your cholesterol level.
• Eat more complex carbohydrates. Foods rich in complex carbohydrates, if eaten plain, are low in fat and are good sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Choose foods such as whole-grain breads and cereals, pasta, rice and dried beans. Also enjoy fruits and vegetables more often.
• Limit sodium and salt. High blood pressure is sometimes associated with a diet high in sodium. Control the amount of sodium you add to food and read labels for sodium content.
• If you drink, do so in moderation. Excessive alcohol use increases your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, liver disease and some types of cancer. To avoid these health problems, drink less than 1 ounce of pure alcohol in a single day. One ounce is equal to two cans of beer, two small glasses of wine or two average cocktails.