Do you know heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women and most racial groups in the United States? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease kills one person every thirty-six seconds, with about 659,000 Americans dying of the cardiovascular disease every year. That equates to one in four Americans.
With this alarming information in hand, should not we give priority to improving, monitoring, and maintaining our heart health.
Improving Heart Health Naturally
Here we give you an opportunity to think about your well-being in general and take steps that will positively impact many areas of your life.
This article covers some essential tips from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute that will take you on a path to improving your heart health & overall well-being:
Understand your risks
The first step to improving & maintaining your heart health is understanding your risks of heart disease.
Your risks of heart disease depend on various factors. While some of these are controllable, others may not be. In addition, these risk factors may be due to your habits, and they can be different for each person. Speaking to your doctor will help you get started.
Get your blood pressure, and cholesterol checked
Two main risk factors for cardiovascular disease are high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol. If either of these numbers is high, work with your doctor to bring them within a healthy range.
Related: 5 Numbers To Track Your Heart Health
Choose heart-healthy foods
By heart-healthy eating, we mean eating certain foods, like fruits and vegetables, while limiting others, like trans and saturated fats and added sugars.
You may also check with your doctor for a prescribed heart-healthy diet.
Related: Bad Drinking Habits For Heart Health
Achieve and maintain a healthy weight
In general, a healthy weight for adults is when the BMI (body mass index) is between 18.5 and 24.9. Your BMI is calculated based on your height and weight.
You can use this BMI Calculator or search for a BMI Calculator online. There are also available many smartphone apps that can help calculate your BMI.
Note: Each body is unique, so there is some flexibility here. You may check with your doctor if you have any questions about your BMI or weight.
Read Here The Scientifically Proven Ways To Lose Weight
Manage stress
Stress can lead to high blood pressure and contribute to other heart disease risk factors.
Some people drink alcohol, while others may smoke, use other substances, or overeat to cope with stress. Unfortunately, these are not healthy stress management techniques; instead, they worsen the stress condition.
The recommended ways to manage stress are meditation or being physically active. Alternatively, you can try participating in a stress management program.
Note: Research suggests that an emotionally upsetting event, especially one involving anger, can serve as a trigger for a heart attack or angina in some people.
Read This Practical Guide To Manage Stress
About Author: Renu Bakshi, AKA Fitness Buffhq, is ISSA Certified Elite Trainer. He passed 
Personal Fitness Trainer Course, Nutrition Health Coach course & Specialist Exercise Therapy course from ISSA, the USA, obtaining + 97% marks. He shares his experience and knowledge about nutrition and effective workouts to get you in the best shape of your life, no matter how old you may be. The author says: “For me, age is just a number!”
BMI is a useless and misleading number for any athlete or active person with decent musculature. My insurance company wanted to drop me because of what they considered a high BMI. I sent them a picture of me and threatened to sue and they immediately signed me back up. It’s a valid measurement only for couch potatoes.
Hi Robert: True. I have touched upon this issue. Here is an extract from this article: “Note: Each body is unique, so there is some flexibility here. You may check with your doctor if you have any questions about your BMI or weight.”