To keep your heart healthy, your diet and lifestyle both play a key role. It is not only a one-time thing but permanent lifestyle changes that one needs to make to fight cardiovascular diseases. A healthy heart diet ensures that the overall health of the person is good. Below are some of the diet and lifestyle tips for a healthy heart-

Being active
Being active and having a lifestyle that is active helps in reducing the risk of developing a heart disease. Also, it can be a great way to boost mood and relieve stress. Simply doing a 150 minutes moderate or intense exercise is great for your heart and overall body. This can be achieved easily by exercising for just half an hour, five days a week. One doesn’t need to necessarily join a gym, one can simply walk, cycle, dance, join a Zumba or a yoga class to achieve this level of fitness.

Managing one’s weight
Being overweight or obese can increase the risk of developing a heart disease. Hence, it is important to maintain a healthy weight by following a healthy heart diet and working out regularly. Healthy heart diet includes a diet that is low in fat and sugar and contains plenty of vegetables and fruits. One can simply calculate their body mass index (BMI) and lose weight accordingly.

Cutting down on salt
Avoiding the use of salt at the table and trying to add less salt while cooking to maintain healthy blood pressure is extremely important. It is difficult to cut down salt at the start but with practice, people usually get used to it. One needs to also avoid foods that contain high levels of salt. The daily intake of salt is usually covered in the organic food one buys.

Quit smoking
For a healthy heart, it is important to simply quit smoking or avoid it at least. One of the leading causes of a coronary heart disease is smoking. The risk of a heart attack falls down to about half if one simply quits smoking for at least a year. One can join a support group or take therapy if they are struggling to give up on smoking.

Drinking less alcohol
One needs to remember that alcohol contains a lot of calories. Regular drinking can have a noticeable impact on a person’s weight and health as well. It is important to consume a limited amount of alcohol to reduce the risk of not only a serious heart condition but also other health issues.

Reading the food labels
It is a good habit to read the labels of the food and drinks one purchases at a supermarket. It helps to know the calorie content of the food by being aware of how much salt, fat, and sugar it contains. When one knows what are the ingredients of the food they are consuming, making a healthy choice becomes easier. Also, it is important to know the nutrient content of the food that is being consumed. For a healthy heart diet, one must consume food that is low in fat and high in protein.