Your heart functions at the core of your body, pumping blood to all your organs and tissues. Maintaining your heart health is essential to avoid risk factors, such as hypertension, stroke, and heart disease, and maximize your longevity.

Here are seven ways to protect your heart health:.

Eat a Balanced Diet

A balanced diet with adequate portions of nutrients, minerals, vitamins, fiber, and healthy fats is essential for your heart health. A heart-healthy diet should include fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and nuts.

Limit unhealthy fats, sodium, and sugar, as well as processed and fried foods.

Exercise Regularly

Physical activity is essential for your heart health. It lowers your blood pressure, strengthens your heart muscle, controls your weight, and reduces stress and anxiety.

Experts recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, such as brisk walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming. Incorporate strength training for building muscles and bones, as well as flexibility exercises for stretching and balance.

Quit Smoking

Smoking has detrimental effects on your heart health, as well as your overall health and wellbeing.

Smoking causes the narrowing and hardening of your arteries, raises your blood pressure and heart rate, increases your risk of blood clots and heart disease, and damages your lungs and other organs. Quit smoking to reduce your risk of heart-related complications.

Manage Your Stress

Stress is an unavoidable part of life, but chronic stress can take a toll on your heart health. Excess stress can lead to high blood pressure, inflammation, and an overactive sympathetic nervous system that raises your heart rate and stroke risk.

Manage your stress by practicing relaxation techniques, such as meditation, yoga, deep breathing, or massage therapy. Connect with your loved ones, pursue hobbies, and take breaks from work and social media.

Get Enough Sleep

Getting enough sleep is essential for your heart health. Sleep deprivation can lead to high blood pressure, insulin resistance, obesity, and inflammation, which increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

Aim for seven to eight hours of quality sleep per night. Establish a regular sleep routine, limit your caffeine and alcohol intake, and create a conducive sleeping environment, such as a cool and dark room with a comfortable bed and pillows.

Monitor Your Numbers

Monitoring your health numbers, such as your blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and body mass index (BMI), can help you identify potential heart-related issues and take corrective action.

Check your numbers regularly at home or your healthcare provider, and aim for optimal levels. For instance, normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mmHg, normal blood sugar is below 100 mg/dL, normal cholesterol is below 200 mg/dL, and normal BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2.

Attend Regular Checkups

Regular checkups with your healthcare provider are vital for your heart health.

Your provider can assess your risk factors, screen for heart-related conditions, administer vaccines, recommend preventive measures, prescribe medications, and refer you to specialists if needed. Attend regular checkups, including physical exams, blood tests, electrocardiograms, and imaging tests, based on your age, sex, family history, and lifestyle factors.