There are indeed ways in which you can prevent heart disease, all you have to do is adopt a heat healthy lifestyle and you should be in a position to live a little longer.

Heart disease is known to be one of the leading causes of death, but that definitely does not mean that you have to accept it and live with it. One has to make efforts to live a heart healthy life.

To avoid problems that may arise due to heart disease, adopting a healthy lifestyle is the first step. The ideas below should help you in getting started.

Stay Away from Tobacco
Use of tobacco and smoking can cause heart disease. The chemicals that are used during the making of a cigarette or other products made using tobacco are known to damage blood vessels, heart and also lead to narrowing of the arteries, also known as atherosclerosis, which could ultimate lead you to a heart attack.

Nicotine content in cigarettes is responsible for increasing one’s heart rate and also increasing one’s blood pressure. The carbon monoxide that is present in cigarette smoke also causes the oxygen to get replaced in your blood, and this leads to an increase in blood pressure, as your heart has to start working harder to supply oxygen.

It doesn’t matter how long you have been smoking for, when you quit, the effects of adopting a healthy lifestyle will show rather quickly, in fact in less than a year.

Get at least 30 Minutes of Exercise
The risk of fatal heart disease can be significantly reduced, if you get enough exercise. When you combine some amount of physical activity and also make changes in your lifestyle by including a dose of healthy exercise in to it.

The benefits of physical activity are many, when you start incorporating the habit of exercise in to your life, you will start losing weight, and this will lead you to overcome other conditions, which are causing some strain on your heart, and these could be like that of diabetes, high cholesterol and also blood pressure.

Exercise also helps reduce stress levels, which is one of the leading reasons for heart disease.

Moderate intensity exercise for about 30 – 60 minutes in a day is indeed enough to avoid the risk of heart disease. Try and exercise as many times a day in a week so that your heart stays strong and healthy.

Adopt an overall healthy lifestyle. For instance, take the stairs, do chores around the house, indulge in some gardening, and walk to the grocery store. Remember, that you do not really need any strenuous exercise and may not go to the gym at all, if you lead a healthy and active lifestyle in general, but some amount of actual exercise like walking around the block or in the park can bring you great joy.

Is Your Diet, Heart Healthy?
Eating foods that are low in cholesterol and fat can be good for your heart. Speak with a Registered Holistic Nutritionist to understand depending on your lifestyle and body type what your diet should be so that you can include foods in your life that will help you avoid a heart condition in the future.

Eating a diet that is rich in vegetables, fruits, low fat dairy products and whole grains can be good for you. Low fat sources of protein such as beans and some types of fish too a good for the heart.

Limit the amount of certain fats that you consume, these may include: saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and trans fat and should be reduced dramatically. Saturated and Trans Fat are known to be a leading cause of coronary heart disease as they play a role in increasing one’s blood cholesterol levels.

Saturated fats will be found in dairy products, red meat and in palm and coconut oil. Trans Fat can be found in bakery products, snack food that is packaged, deep fried foods, crackers and margarines.

Omega-3 fatty acids may come under a group of polyunsaturated fats, but are very good to reduce your risk of heart disease and heart attack. When consumed well, it can help lower blood pressure levels and also protect one’s heart against
irregular heart beats. Salmon and mackerel too are fish that are great for heart health, as they are a natural source of Omega-3s. Soya bean oil, canola oil, flaxseed oil and walnut oil too contain some amount of Omega 3s.

Focus on participating in activities that are good for your heart and you will notice that you will lead a long and healthy life. Speak with a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and also speak with a Homeopath so that you can learn about natural remedies to stay healthy and active.