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    5 Ways to Keep Your Heart Healthy

    5 Ways to Keep Your Heart Healthy

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    1)      Get active! Your heart grows stronger with exercise, just like any muscle in your body. Exercise boosts blood flow to the heart, reducing the chances of atherosclerosis, a hardening of the arteries that can lead to a heart attack. The American Heart Association says as little as 30 minutes/day, five times/week, of aerobic exercise (including walking) can reduce your risk of heart disease.

    2)      Lower your salt intake. Hypertension and damaged blood vessels are the culprit of a high sodium intake. More than 75 percent of our sodium consumption comes from processed foods and meals at restaurants. All the more reason to cook at home!

    3)      Bring on the olive oil. Olive oil has antioxidants that can protect red blood cells from damage. Cellular destruction is partly responsible for heart disease, heart attacks and stroke.

    4)      Listen to music. Did you know that music has been linked to lowering blood pressure? Listening to music can decrease both systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as your heart rate. Just make sure you listen to music with a slower tempo for the ultimate calming effect.

    5)      Eat some chocolate. Dark chocolate can reduce blood pressure because the cocoa contains antioxidant compounds called flavanols. These result in the formation of nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide causes blood vessel walls to relax and open wider resulting in lower blood pressure.

    Our experts will be sharing tips with KUTV viewers throughout the day on Tuesday, February 9th.  If you have your own questions, you call in from noon-5:30pm to talk with clinical experts about diet, exercise, prevention and testing. Call 1-877-908-0680 to speak with our panel members, or submit questions via Facebook or Twitter using #KUTVAsktheExpert.

    For more information, visit http://intermountainhealthcare.org/asktheexpert