Learn to lose or manage weight. Your health care professional can consider non-HDL cholesterol as the preferred number to monitor, rather than total cholesterol, because it can be measured without fasting beforehand and is reliably calculated among all people.

Learn how to control cholesterol. Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose or blood sugar that our bodies use as energy.

Over time, high levels of blood sugar can damage your heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves. As part of testing, monitoring hemoglobin A1c can better reflect long-term control in people with diabetes or prediabetes. Learn how to control blood sugar.

Keeping your blood pressure within acceptable ranges can keep you healthier longer. High blood pressure is defined as mm Hg systolic pressure the top number in a reading or mm Hg diastolic pressure bottom number.

Learn how to manage blood pressure. We all want our kids to grow up healthy and happy. Supporting good heart and brain health early helps lower the risk for heart disease, stroke and other major health problems later in life. Home Healthy Living Healthy Lifestyle Life's Essential 8.

Eat Better Aim for an overall healthy eating pattern that includes whole foods, lots of fruits and vegetables, lean protein, nuts, seeds, and cooking in non-tropical oils such as olive and canola. Be More Active Adults should get 2 ½ hours of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week.

Quit Tobacco Use of inhaled nicotine delivery products, which includes traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes and vaping, is the leading cause of preventable death in the U. Get Healthy Sleep Most adults need hours of sleep each night.

Manage Weight Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight has many benefits. View or Download Fact Sheet English PDF. Manage Blood Sugar Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose or blood sugar that our bodies use as energy. Manage Blood Pressure Keeping your blood pressure within acceptable ranges can keep you healthier longer.

Learn about Healthy Habits for Kids. My Heart Score My Life Check brochure PDF. And a variety of medications, operations, and devices can help support the heart if damage occurs.

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You should eat the right amount of calories for your body, which will vary based on your sex, age, and physical activity level. Remember that some healthy foods, including oils and dairy, can still have a lot of calories. Some fruits can have a lot of natural sugar, especially when they are dried.

Develop a personalized food plan at Get Your MyPlate Plan. You can visit the U. Heart-Healthy Living. What Is Heart-Healthy Living? Understand Your Risk for Heart Disease Get Your Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Checked Choose Heart-Healthy Foods Aim for a Healthy Weight Get Regular Physical Activity Manage Stress Quit Smoking Get Enough Good-Quality Sleep.

Fact sheets and handouts. Heart-Healthy Living Choose Heart-Healthy Foods. Language switcher English Español. Foods to eat These foods are the foundation of a heart-healthy eating plan.

Foods to limit A heart-healthy eating plan limits sodium salt , saturated fat, added sugars, and alcohol. Limit sodium Adults and children over age 14 should eat less than 2, milligrams of sodium a day. Try these shopping and cooking tips to help you choose and prepare foods that are lower in sodium: Read food labels and choose products that have less sodium for the same serving size.

Choose low-sodium , reduced-sodium, or no-salt-added products. Choose fresh, frozen, or no-salt-added foods instead of pre-seasoned, sauce-marinated, brined, or processed meats, poultry, and vegetables. Eat at home more often so you can cook food from scratch, which will allow you to control the amount of sodium in your meals.

Flavor foods with herbs and spice s instead of salt. When cooking, limit your use of premade sauces, mixes, and instant products such as rice, noodles, and ready-made pasta. FACT SHEET. Tips to Reduce Salt and Sodium Learn about how to cut down the amount of salt you take in each day with the Tips to Reduce Salt and Sodium tip sheet.

Download the fact sheet. How much should you eat? Include these eight tips into your life, and you'll find that heart-healthy eating is both doable and enjoyable. With planning and a few simple substitutions, you can eat with your heart in mind.

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Show references Sacks FM, et al. Dietary fats and cardiovascular disease: A presidential advisory from the American Heart Association. How to avoid portion size pitfalls to help manage your weight.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed Feb. Department of Health and Human Services and U. Department of Agriculture. Accessed Jan.

How to use fruits and vegetables to help manage your weight. Flaxseed and flax oil. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Hadi A, et al. Effect of flaxseed supplementation on lipid profile: An updated systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of sixty-two randomized controlled trials.

Pharmacological Research. Natural Medicines. Sea salt vs. table salt. American Heart Association. Zeratsky KA expert opinion. Mayo Clinic. The skinny on fats. How much sodium should I eat per day?

Healthy diet adult. FDA extends compliance date for certain uses of partially hydrogenated oils in food; denies petition for certain uses of PHOs.

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