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9 Ways To Take Care Of Your Heart Health For Valentine's Day

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the US, according to the American Heart Association's 2025 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Update. In the US, someone dies of cardiovascular disease every 34 seconds. The association states that though medical advances have helped people with cardiovascular diseases live longer, risk factors like high blood pressure and obesity continue to grow at "alarming rates."

While your family history and age can increase your risk, there are preventable risk factors. To reduce your risk of heart disease, there are habits you can incorporate into your lifestyle.

1. Take a daily walk

Decades of research support cardiovascular exercise as a first defense against heart disease. Walking is an easy, simple way to get cardio exercise in, and you can do it pretty much anywhere outdoors or indoors with a treadmill.

Studies show that walking can prevent heart disease risk despite being a less intense modality than other forms of cardio exercise, such as hiking, jogging or cycling. Plus, research suggests that more people stick to a walking plan over time versus other types of exercise, which makes walking more effective in the long run (no exercise is effective if you don't keep it up).

You can always make your walk more intense if you want to improve your health even further.

These lifestyle changes can significantly boost your heart health. Getty Images2. Strength train a few times each week

Most research on heart health and exercise has focused on aerobic exercise like walking. An emerging body of research points to resistance training as another way to reduce your risk of heart disease. In fact, a 2018 study found that lifting weights for less than one hour a week could reduce your risk for a heart attack or stroke by up to 70% -- independent of aerobic exercise, making these results even more significant. 

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, this profound effect probably has something to do with the way weightlifting changes your body composition. Lifting weights helps you build muscle and lose fat. Excess body fat is a major risk factor for heart disease, so any exercise that helps you reduce body fat is helpful.

You don't need a gym or fancy equipment to start strength training. Bodyweight exercises, such as air squats, push-ups and lunges, provide the same strengthening benefits at home.

3. Eat foods to improve heart health

Many delicious foods have a direct link to improved heart health. In general, a diet rich in whole grains, fruit, vegetables, lean protein and healthy fats from nuts, seeds, fish and oils promotes heart health. If you don't have access to fresh produce, frozen and canned fruits and veggies work just as well (just be mindful of salt intake when eating canned foods).

4. Limit foods linked to heart disease

On the flip side, several foods have direct links to heart disease. To reduce your risk of heart disease, limit high-fat and high-sugar foods such as potato chips and store-bought desserts. Highly processed foods, including most fast food, processed meats (think hot dogs and cured meats) and boxed snacks like Twinkies and crackers, also contain ingredients harmful to your heart.

Specifically, look out for trans fats (hydrogenated oils) and high-fructose corn syrup, two common key ingredients that aren't great for your heart. Trans fats increase "bad" cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood, while high-fructose corn syrup is a driver of several heart disease risk factors and comorbidities.

Side note: Don't be afraid of saturated fat on its own, as research has debunked the myth that saturated fat alone leads to heart disease. Many healthy foods, such as avocados and cheese, contain saturated fats. Processed foods are often high in saturated fat, but it's more so the trans fats and refined carbohydrates to look out for.

5. Quit the smoking habit

It's common knowledge by now that smoking is just plain bad for health. Your heart is no exception. According to the American Heart Association, of the 800,000 US deaths caused by cardiovascular disease each year, almost 20% are due to cigarette smoking.

Smoking impairs your cardiovascular system in a few ways: It leads to plaque buildup in your arteries, changes your blood chemistry and thickens blood, and permanently damages your heart muscle and blood vessels. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute says that even an occasional cigarette can cause substantial damage.

6. Limit alcohol intake

We're not here to tell you that you can't enjoy your favorite cocktail or crack a cold one on game day, but we'd be remiss if we didn't mention the consequences of excess alcohol consumption. Drinking too much is generally bad for all your body systems.

In regard to heart health specifically, alcohol has been linked to various cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease and stroke. The exact relationships vary greatly depending on the quantity and pattern of consumption.

The American Heart Association maintains that drinking in moderation is fine, but once you inch past that mark (one drink per day for women and two for men), things take a turn for the worse. Also, the link between red wine and heart health isn't all that clear.

7. Keep stress levels low

More research is needed to understand exactly how stress contributes to heart disease, but scientists have observed a relationship between stress and heart health. For starters, high levels of chronic stress can trigger unhealthy coping habits, such as smoking, drinking alcohol or eating lots of high-fat or high-sugar food. Stress also undermines your body's ability to rest and sleep.

Researchers have even identified a specific and unusual sort of heart attack called takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as stress cardiomyopathy and "broken heart syndrome." This condition has been linked to emotional trauma, but many patients with this condition exhibit no identifiable cause.

Don't underestimate the impact of stress on your heart. While stress is inevitable and unavoidable at times, it helps to have a handful of stress-relief tactics to rely on in times of extreme duress.

8. Prioritize enough sleep

If there were a miracle drug, sleep would probably be it, with exercise coming in a close second. Scientists have positioned sleep deprivation as a risk factor for heart disease because of inverse relationships between sleep duration and cardiovascular diseases: It seems the less sleep you get, the higher your risk for cardiovascular events.

Insomnia and sleep apnea have also been linked to heart disease, and sleep duration and quality seem to have a direct effect on blood pressure. Indirectly, sleep deprivation causes people to make poorer food choices and lack motivation to exercise, both of which increase the risk for heart disease.

Read more: Why You Should Skip Your Workout If You Didn't Get Enough Sleep

9. See your doctor yearly

If you're able to, schedule a yearly checkup with your doctor to make sure all's in order.

Getting a blood panel that checks for cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar and other important health markers can help you keep close tabs on your heart health. If you don't have a primary care doctor, call your nearest urgent care or walk-in clinic to see if it offers basic blood tests. At the very least, checking your blood pressure with an at-home monitor gives you some indication of how you're doing. Keep track of your health records so you can identify any changes or patterns over time.

If any indication of heart disease arises, don't be afraid to ask your doctor any questions. Make sure you understand what the numbers mean, what changes you might need to make to your lifestyle, and if you'll need any medications. Being an advocate for your own health gets you far.

Dark Chocolate Can Be Good For Your Heart, In Moderation

Dark chocolate can be good for your heart when it's consumed in moderation. 

Dark chocolate contains a higher percentage of cocoa than other chocolate, and cocoa is rich in antioxidants and flavanols, which have been associated with heart health. 

While eating lots of dark chocolate isn't likely to improve heart health, it can be a healthier choice than other junk foods high in sugar and fats. 

This article was medically reviewed by Jason R. McKnight, MD, MS, a family medicine physician and clinical assistant professor at Texas A&M College of Medicine. 

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Various research studies have found that moderate chocolate consumption may have heart benefits. But dark chocolate often sticks out as the best choice. 

Dark chocolate generally contains less sugar than other types of chocolate. More importantly, it has higher concentrations of cocoa powder. Cocoa is made from cacao beans, which have high levels of antioxidants and flavanols, two substances that have been linked to heart health. 

However, before you start binging on dark chocolate, take a moment to understand what the science says — and doesn't say — about dark chocolate and your heart. 

Dark chocolate may be good for your heart 

Dark chocolate's heart benefits stem from the large amount of cocoa it contains. Like many other plant-based substances, cocoa has cardiovascular health benefits. 

Flavonoids, a type of molecule found in cocoa — as well as apples, citrus, tea, and other plant foods — has been found to lower blood pressure in those with hypertension. Flavanols, a subgroup of flavonoids that are especially rich in dark chocolate, may also have positive impacts on heart health. 

Flavanols have antioxidant properties. Antioxidants — found in cocoa, berries, spinach and other plant foods — are naturally-occurring molecules that can repair damaged cells and may be able to reduce your risk of heart disease. 

For example, research has found that eating foods high in antioxidants and flavonoids can be beneficial to your heart. Specifically, a 2017 study in the Journal of the American Heart Association concluded that dark chocolate, cocoa, and almonds may be able to reduce the risk of coronary artery disease, the most common type of heart disease. 

The study looked at overweight and obese individuals ages 30 to 70, who were divided into three groups: one which ate a typical American diet, another that incorporated almonds, and a third that incorporated almonds and dark chocolate. The group that consumed dark chocolate and almonds had the greatest reduction in LDL cholesterol, which is considered a major risk factor for heart disease. 

Moderating dark chocolate is still necessary 

Before you bite into a chunk of dark chocolate, it's important to remember that moderation is key, says Lauren Gilstrap, MD, a cardiologist at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health Center. 

"I don't think anybody is going to eat enough chocolate to bring their cholesterol and blood pressure down without doing a lot of other damage to blood sugar, weight, and things like that," Gilstrap says. 

Studies emphasize this, as well: dark chocolate should only be consumed without "exceeding energy needs," or indulging in too many calories, according to the study in the Journal of the American Heart Association. There's no recommended dose of dark chocolate, but the study participants ate 43 grams of dark chocolate per day. 

Additionally, the benefits of dark chocolate are strongest when there is a higher concentration of cocoa: around 80% or more. That type of dark chocolate can taste bitter and isn't particularly popular with consumers, Gilstrap says, though it is definitely healthier than white or milk chocolate. 

If you're craving a treat, dark chocolate is a healthier choice than other junk foods high in sugar and fats. But if you're looking for the heart benefits associated with flavonoids and antioxidants, you'll also want to eat more almonds, berries, apples, citrus, spinach, and drink black or green tea. 

To learn more about the best diets for heart health, read our article, "What foods lower blood pressure and make up the DASH diet."

Kelly Burch has been writing about personal finance for more than a decade. She's particularly interested in how finances impact the most intimate parts of a person's life, from educational and reproductive choices to love, immigration, or estate planning. Kelly has written about these topics personally and explored them with experts, including entrepreneurs, multi-millionaires, financial planners, and more.Kelly is a first-generation college graduate and homeowner who integrates her personal experience creating financial stability into her reporting. She's a career journalist, with work appearing in "The Washington Post," "The Chicago Tribune," "Boston Magazine" and more.Kelly lives in rural New Hampshire with her husband, two children, and two dogs. When she's not behind her desk, she can be found getting lost in the mountains and lakes around her home. Follow her on Facebook or Twitter, or learn more here.    Read more Read less

Interventional Cardiologist Shares Ways To Care For Your Heart

photo by: LMH Health

LMH Health, 325 Maine St., is pictured in May 2021.

It's only about the size of a fist, but the heart is the hardest working organ in your body. It pumps the equivalent of 2,000 gallons of blood throughout your body all day, every day, so it's important to keep it in top shape.

If you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or other risk factors, your primary care provider might refer you to a cardiologist — a physician that specializes in caring for the heart. But if there's more going on, you may be seen by an interventional cardiologist like Dr. Aaron Doonan.

What is an interventional cardiologist?

Cardiologists care for patients with many kinds of heart conditions, including heart failure and vascular disease. Interventional cardiologists also treat these conditions, but you're more likely to see one after a problem has already occurred.

"The biggest difference between general and interventional cardiology is procedure-based. Interventional cardiologists perform heart catheterization procedures, which means we care for people who need stents or artery disease interventions," Doonan said.

While cardiology was always his calling, Doonan also loves working with his hands. That aligns with the hands-on nature of interventional cardiology.

"I like to try and find and fix a problem, similar to tinkering with cars or maintaining equipment. I guess you could say that I like to tinker, and interventional cardiology is a lot like that," he said.

LMH Health has two interventional cardiologists on staff — Doonan and Dr. Thomas Kurian. They each also provide general cardiology care.

"Interventionalists are usually called upon after a problem has occurred, but we also work with patients to prevent issues," Doonan said. "Someone may come to me to get out ahead of a problem. They've had a family member who has had a heart attack, or they've got a high calcium score indicating a buildup of plaque. But if you come to me in the middle of the night, that's a different story."

Optimize heart health and prevent cardiovascular disease

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. High blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking are factors that increase your risk of developing the disease. Prevention is key.

"Do the things that you always hear doctors say. Eat a healthy diet and get some exercise. I recommend that you follow the diet and lifestyle recommendations from The American Heart Association," Doonan said. "When patients come to see me, we take time to talk about focusing on the basics. It can be hard to make lifestyle changes, but even small improvements have an impact."

Managing stress is also a big part of the equation — one that physicians haven't always talked about.

"Physicians are traditionally brought up to say let's manage that hypertension or cholesterol with medication. We haven't always talked about taking a 30 minute walk to ease your mind or unplugging from social media for a bit," Dr. Doonan explained. "Those things are important because having a way to decompress is good for your heart as well."

Cardiology care close to home

In February 2023, LMH Health entered into a strategic clinical relationship with The University of Kansas Health System, paving the way for clinical partnerships that increase patient access to specialty care in and around Douglas County.

Traveling long distances to receive medical care can be challenging. Having interventional cardiologists like Doonan available locally as part of the strategic clinical relationship can make a ton of difference. They can handle acute problems at LMH and prevent patients from needing to be transferred to other facilities for care.

"If you have to get in the car and drive an hour to see your doctor or to get all of your testing, it adds hours to your day and that can be hard. Convenience matters," he said. "While LMH Health can't handle everything, we can manage most of your care and emergencies locally."

Doonan loves working at LMH Health. He says that the interactions he's had between specialties, such as primary care and hospital medicine, have been outstanding.

"LMH Health has been such a welcoming and cordial community, both with patients and my colleagues. People are friendly and supportive and my partners have been great," he said. "I find that it's easy to walk down the hall with a smile and people smile back. Being at LMH gives you all the good feels."

— Autumn Bishop is the marketing manager and content strategist at LMH Health, which is a sponsor of the Lawrence Journal-World health section.

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