5 heart-healthy tips

By Mayo Clinic Health System staff

Exercise isn’t the only way to a healthier heart.

“There are a number of habits that can help,” Melanie DeVries, a Family Medicine nurse practitioner at Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin, Minnesota, says. “Lifestyle factors play a big role in preventing or managing heart disease.”

Melanie offers these 5 tips to keep the (heart) beat:

1. Veg out.

Adding vegetables and fruits to your diet boosts your heart health. Aim for five servings each day.

2. Volunteer.

Sharing your time and talents is good for your heart. Look for opportunities to get involved at your neighborhood school, place of worship or community.

3. Give thanks.

Gratitude can boost your immunity and help you sleep. Keep a gratitude journal to help the act of regularly giving thanks become second nature.

4. Stress less.

Exercising and meditation can help you manage stress. So can setting boundaries. You can’t do everything. Learn to say ‘no’ occasionally.

5. Sleep more.

Make sleep a priority. Aim for eight hours a night. Exercising during the day and avoiding heavy meals and electronics too close to bedtime may help you fall — and stay — asleep.

Read more about ways to keep your heart healthy:

• Take the Discover Gratitude challenge.
• Manage stress with these five tips.
• Learn how to build resiliency in modern times.
• Practice the art of kindness.
• Get tips to maximize your sleep health — the foundation for healthy habits.
• Get healthy recipes and tips.