Quoted: How to Establish Heart-Healthy Habits

Healthline’s editorial team have shared some of their top tips for prioritizing heart health in your daily routine!

As we grow, looking after our hearts is increasingly important. However, better heart health can come from simple lifestyle changes.

Whether you’re considering changes to your diet, exercise routine, or stress management strategies, these quotes offer simple, actionable ideas to improve your heart health.

FOOD SWAPS, NOT RESTRICTIONS

“Heart disease runs in my community, and so I always try to be mindful about my diet, but not limiting! I’ve done a lot of unlearning about traditional dishes not being seen as ‘nutritional,’ and instead I’ve started practicing swapping out certain ingredients for healthy alternatives, and reducing the volume so I can still cook the dishes I enjoy, but in a way that fuels my body.” — Anisha

PRIORITIZE SELF-CARE

“I find that giving time toward self-care is an important and underrated way of boosting heart health, mainly in the form of reducing stress, producing feel-good chemicals in the brain, and promoting relaxation. I try to give myself time for hot showers with my favorite products, winding down at the end of the day with candles and lamps, having a good skin care routine, and making sure that I go to bed feeling good, happy, grateful for my bed (haha), clean, and relaxed to the core! All of this feeds into other parts of your life too, as self-care promotes self-love, and if you love yourself, you will find yourself treating your mind and body well — exercise, nutritious food, etc. — it all goes together!” — Cecilia

TRY FERMENTED FOODS

“I’m really into fermented foods and try to eat 3 to 4 types a day. They create beneficial chemicals in the gut that can help reduce inflammation and benefit cardiometabolic health. I make sourdough and kombucha every few weeks and strain kefir every morning to add to a smoothie.  I’ve recently fermented some cherry tomatoes – they’re fizzy, tangy, and flavorsome, but they take a bit of getting used to!” — Ruth

GET MOVING

“My top priority, each day, is to move my body and break a sweat. Whether it’s running, rock climbing, cycling, weightlifting, or walking, exercising calms me down, reduces stress, helps me sleep, and makes me feel good — both mentally and physically. I break up my activities and times throughout the week as well for a variety. For instance, on Tuesday and Friday, I run during my lunch break, then strength train after work. On Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, I walk on my lunch break, then climb two of the evenings. Then, on the weekends, I go hiking or climbing in the hills or by the sea. Moving in natural spaces feeds the soul and lifts the heart.” — Alex

BE MINDFUL OF BREATHING AND HEART RATE

“Deep breathing is useful; the 4-7-8 method is a good example of something that can help regulate heart rate. Smart watches and technology can help you monitor trends in your heart rate, but I’d avoid wearing and checking them too often, as they can be inaccurate and become problematic. Instead, stay close with a doctor if you notice new symptoms!” — Katy

PRACTICE BETTER SLEEP HYGIENE

“My health in general always feels best when I’m getting regular, good sleep. Recently, I’ve been trying to improve my sleep by installing blackout curtains, sticking to a regular ‘bedtime’, and winding down earlier in the evening. After dinner, I’ll take out my contact lenses, avoid snacking, and settle in with an off-screen activity to try and get my mind in rest mode. I’ve found I’m waking up less through the night and getting to sleep a lot faster.” — Meg

Improving your heart health doesn’t require drastic changes. For many of our editors, the secret lies in small commitments that are easy to stick with over time, and promoting self-care and love over restrictions.

Establishing a heart-healthy diet starts with being mindful of your ingredients, and simply getting outside and moving can help you increase your daily exercise.

Anyone with concerns about their heart health can also benefit from speaking with a healthcare professional for personalized help.