Experts share healthy heart tips they follow
We asked our board-certified doctors, certified trainers and dietitians what heart healthy advice they practice. Watch the video above and read below to see what they said.
Eat a balanced, diverse diet.
“I eat a combination of lean meats like fish and chicken, low-fat dairy, complex carbs, fruits, vegetables, and a very small serving of nuts and seeds daily. I also keep my food portions under control. My healthy diet keeps me energetic and guilt free.”
Muna Siddiqi, MS, RD, CDE
Certified Diabetes Educator
Swedish Hospital
De-stress through breathing.
“There is a close association between stress and cardiovascular disease. High levels of chronic stress triggers individuals to engage in unhealthy behaviors such as cigarette smoking, increased alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, inadequate eating habits and social isolation. There are many techniques for reducing stress—breathing is simple and convenient. When experiencing stress, pause and take 3 deep breaths. Inhale through your nose, slowly fill up your belly (not your chest) and then exhale completely through your nose again.”
Maki B. Uechi-Brooker M.Ed, ACSM
Certified Exercise Physiologist, CHWC
Personal Trainer & Wellness Coach
Galter LifeCenter
Know your numbers and vary your workouts.
“To keep my heart disease risk factors as low as possible, I make sure that I know my numbers, including my blood pressure and cholesterol. And, I exercise nearly every day, combining cardio and weight bearing exercises. I rarely repeat the same exercise two days in a row and I mix it up between moderate and high intensity bursts. Exercise makes me feel better. I have more energy, less stress, I’m more relaxed and I sleep better!”
Sue Talbert
Personal Trainer
Galter LifeCenter
By Bill Ligas | Published February 3, 2017
