Here's how to have a healthier heart

It's easier than you think your ticker in the strongest form.


Tighten the fist. Sample sometimes.

Now, imagine that the fist inside your chest, pumping again and again, strong enough to pump blood and oxygen throughout your body - about sixty thousand miles of veins and arteries - never resting, 24 hours Per day, 7 days a week, 7 days a year, 365 days a year.

Is it a marvel that your heart needs all the support it can get?

The most important thing about yourheart The needs are a constant and nourishing offer of blood from coronary arteries. When we talk about heart disease, we are talking about what we are talking about is essentially a hiccup in this critical delivery system: the blood flow is blocked and can not go to the heart of powering it.

Cardiac diseases represent about four deaths, making it the leading cause of death in the United States.According to disease control centers (CDC), Coronary artery disease or atherosclerosis is the most common type of heart disease in Americans. It occurs when the plate (cholesterol) accumulates in the walls of the arteries, narrowing the path through which the blood can flow. Left untreated, the plate can accumulate enough to cause chest pain and shortness of breath, an illness called angina - or can completely block the arteries, causing a heart attack, which kills a part or all muscle. About 805,000 Americans suffer from cardiac crises each year,According to the CDC.

There are a number of factors that contribute to yourrisk of heart disease, things you can not control - such as family history and age, you can control a bit, including stress level, cholesterol levels and blood pressure. But there is a major risk factor for heart disease that you can control:visceral grease.

The important point is not whether you have excess fat, butwhere fat is. A study published in theJournal of the American Cardiology College found that normal weight heart patients who haveExcess abdominal fat are less likely to survive than obese patients whose excess books are concentrated in thighs and buttocks.

So, what can you do? In order to keep your heart as healthy as possible, here are specific recommendations to the heart that will keep your Ticker. And while you're there, try one of21 best healthy cooking hacks of all time.

1

Eat less red meat.

man eating steak
Refuge

ReduceRed meat consumption Just a few times a month, or cut it completely, could improve your heart health by changing your intestinal bacteria. A study suggests that vegetarians and plants digest meat differently from carnivores, which makes them less sensitive to cardiac diseases. The researchers call the "revenge of the cow" and begins with the L-carnitine - a chemical found in the red meat which, when a meat gut gut pulls it, produces a compound called trimethylamine N-oxide, or TMAO This hardens the arteries. But your risk is only rising if you used to feed these carnivorous intestines bacteria. In studies, the long-standing microbes of vegetarians did not produce much TMAO when they eaten red meat.

In addition, the red meat is generally high in saturated grease and cholesterol-two things you want to reduce when eating for a healthy heart.

2

Eat two squares of dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate squares
Refuge

Researchers from the State University of Louisiana Discovered that bacteria in our stomach ferment chocolate in useful anti-inflammatory compounds that are good for the heart. Gut microbes such as bifidobacteria fence on chocolate and release polyphenolic compounds beneficial. Scientists believe that the addition of chocolate fruits could strengthen fermentation. Strawberries covered with chocolate, anyone?

Looking for more advice?Sign up for our newsletter for daily recipes and new foods in your inbox!

3

Breaking with your darling.

Sugar in spoon
Refuge

That's right, we're talking about sugar. Health officials now emphasize the finger of sugar as the main food cause of cardiovascular problems.According to a study published inJAMA internal medicine, the risk of dying of cardiovascular diseases more than doubled for those who have consumed 21% or more of their calories ofadded sugar.

One of the easiest ways to reduce your added sugar consumption is to cutSugary drinks andTransformed-It is nothing with a label that lists more than two or three ingredients. But do not worry: you will always satisfy your sweet tooth with fresh fruit,Delicious smoothies andoatmeal bowlsand a lot ofDelicious desserts.

4

Get adjustment (ter).

man working out
Refuge

Studies suggest that a combination of cardio and resistance training is the best fitness formula for the heart. This makes metabolic circuits, which combine both aerobic exercise and the formation of resistance, thus effective. According to research presented at theAmerican Heart Association of Quality of Care and Results of Research Scientific Sessions of ResearchThe average people who increase their physical condition level can radically reduce their risk of cardiovascular problems. For example, if a 40-year-old child went to jog a mile in twelve minutes to run a mile in ten minutes, he could reduce the risk of heart failure at a subsequent age of 40%!

5

Swap salt for spice.

clean out spices
Refuge

Dietary salt It is known that the increase in blood pressure, which is itself a major risk factor for heart disease. But a directive like "eat less salt" is difficult to follow, especially when the nachos call your name. The trick: find safe ways to strengthen the flavor of your food.

Adults who participated in a twenty-year behavioral intervention that taught them to trade salt for herbs and spices consumed 966 milligrams less sodium a day than those who have tried to reduce their own sodium. Better still, some herbs and spices have proven advantages, such as strengthening your metabolism and block the formation of fat cells.

6

Let it push it.

garlic
Refuge

You will already find old garlic heads with green sprouts that push them in the bottom of your fridge? Do not throw them off!

Scientists report that this over-la-hill garlic has an even healthier cardiac antioxidant activity than cooler things. Elderly garlic extract, also known as Kyolic garlic or age, has the same effect.A study I found that participants who took four age tablets per day saw a reduction in plate accumulation in the arteries. And the good news is that you do not need the old garlic; You can find age supplements in most drug and health food stores, and it's odorless.

7

Fill on the fiber.

Whole grain dinner roll topped with oats
Refuge

Fiber Protects the core by stimulating the body's ability to produce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors, which act as emptyors, pulling a "bad" cholesterol out of the blood.Researchers from Leeds University Analyzed a number of studies and found that the risk of cardiovascular disease was significantly lower for the 7 grams of fiber consumed - it is only a part of whole grains, beans or legumes, or two portions of fresh products .

8

Go wild for blueberries.

Blueberries
Refuge

Researchers at the University of Maine Discover that wild blueberries are essentially aspirin of the best tasting in the world, a natural supplement of cardiovascular health, especially blood flow to and from the heart. According to their study, the consumption of wild blueberries (2 cups a day) for eight weeks was shown at eight weeks to regulate and improve the balance between relaxing and restrictive factors in the vascular wall of obese rats. Two cups are a lot, but you can start in your consumption by launching 1/2 to 1 cup of berries in your drinks and morning oats flour.Blueberry Are surprisingly tasty on green salads too!


The reason most Americans diet no weight loss-it is what it is
The reason most Americans diet no weight loss-it is what it is
It is the exact age that your metabolism begins to slow down, says a new study
It is the exact age that your metabolism begins to slow down, says a new study
A secret side effect to stretch more, says doctor
A secret side effect to stretch more, says doctor