5 Simple Tips to Improve Your Heart Health

Since 1950, heart disease has been the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Having a healthy heart doesn’t just help you avoid hospital visits and health complications; it keeps you alive, too.

February is American Heart Month, so it’s a great time to take inventory of your lifestyle and consider new ways to improve your heart health. By making some simple behavioral changes, you can reduce heart disease risks like high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Board-certified internist and cardiologist Jeffrey H. Graf, MD, invites you to his office on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York, to check in on your heart health. He can help you discover and manage your heart disease risks, suggesting easy changes you can make for a healthier heart. Here are five simple tips to get you started.

1. Quit smoking

Quitting smoking is an impactful way to improve your heart and lung health at the same time. Using tobacco in any form damages your heart and blood vessels while lowering your blood oxygen. Because of this, your heart works harder when you’re a smoker.

When you quit smoking, the benefits start immediately. Your heart disease risk drops in as little as one day after you quit. After a year, your risk for heart disease is cut in half.

2. Be more active

Even a little bit of regular physical activity can significantly lower your heart disease risk. Exercise also lowers your risk for conditions related to heart disease like high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

If you’re currently not very physically active, you can start integrating exercise into your routine by taking daily walks or going on a light jog. Generally, however, you should aim for 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week or 75 minutes of strenuous exercise per week. You should also include two strength training sessions in your weekly agenda.

3. Cut down on sugary beverages

Many people don’t realize just how much sugar they consume in drinks: It’s far easier to account for calories you eat than calories you drink. Replacing a daily soda or latte with water or tea without adding sugar saves you a ton of calories and can help you lose weight, therefore reducing your heart disease risk.

4. Focus your diet around heart-healthy foods

Rather than focusing on what you shouldn’t eat or drink, we’re giving you a list of heart-healthy foods to include in your diet. To lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and overall heart disease risk, ensure you regularly incorporate these staples into your meals:

Lean meats
Whole grains
Reduced-fat or fat-free dairy
Vegetables and fruits
Healthy fats, such as avocado and olive oil

For more structured dietary guidelines, consider adopting the Mediterranean Diet.

5. Prioritize sleep and relaxation

Getting decent sleep is extremely important for your heart health. Most adults need 7 or more hours of sleep, which is easy to achieve if you stick to the same bedtime and waking time every day.

Just as important is stress management. Chronic stress can lead to depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, and a higher overall heart disease risk. Find healthy coping strategies that don’t further put your heart at risk: Drinking alcohol, for example, might feel like a quick fix but isn’t good for your heart in the long run.

Dr. Graf can evaluate your heart health and give you more personalized heart health recommendations. Contact Jeffrey H. Graf, MD, by calling our office or reaching out through our secure email form. We invite you to consider a concierge membership as well for increased access and support on your heart health journey.