A recent survey found U.S. adults are more afraid of being in a car accident than experiencing a heart attack (25 percent vs. 16 percent). But living a heart healthy lifestyle should be just as important as wearing your seatbelt.
The fact is, heart disease, the nation’s number one killer, claims one life every 35 seconds ? more than 912,000 lives annually (American Heart Association) ? and car accidents claim significantly less lives each year ? 43,000 (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).
A proactive approach to maintaining a healthy heart is important, and there’s no better time to start. Joseph Keenan, M.D., cardiology researcher and professor emeritus, University of Minnesota, says the path to a healthier heart requires only a few simple diet and lifestyle changes:
Swap This for That
When preparing meals, swap your regular corn oil for olive or canola oil. Studies suggest that 2 tablespoons of olive oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. To achieve this possible benefit, olive oil should replace a similar amount of saturated fat and not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day (Food and Drug Administration).
Also, try using low-fat milk instead of whole milk in your favorite desserts and other recipes. One cup of whole milk has almost 5 grams of saturated fat and 146 calories per cup, whereas skim milk has only 0.125 grams and 83 calories per cup.
Need a snack between meals? Munch on almonds or pistachios instead of potato chips. Research shows that nuts may help decrease high cholesterol. And remember, fresh fruits and vegetables are always a great snack option!
Pay Attention to Your Genes
Many U.S. adults are genetically predisposed to have high cholesterol that may be difficult to manage by diet and exercise alone. For these situations, CholestOff Complete from Nature Made may be helpful. CholestOff Complete is a science-based dietary supplement developed to naturally address genetic cholesterol with the key ingredient Pantesin. CholestOff Complete also contains plant sterols and stanols, plant-derived ingredients that have been studied since the 1950’s and are clinically proven to help naturally reduce LDL ‘bad? cholesterol.
Beat the Habit
Like the consequences of driving without a seatbelt, smoking has been widely publicized as a serious health threat. If quitting cold turkey is too hard, Dr. Keenan recommends that people visit their doctor to help determine the best method of quitting. The benefits of becoming a non-smoker are great ? studies show that after 15 smoke-free years, the risk of coronary heart disease can be at the same levels as someone who has never smoked (WebMD).
Work It Out
Regular exercise is an important part of overall heart health, but the cold weather often makes going outside a challenge. For a good workout at home, pop in an aerobics or yoga DVD and pull out the hand weights, resistance bands or an exercise ball.