What keeps the heart healthy according to modern science?

Build your diet around whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, and fish. Minimize ultra-processed foods (UPFs) which make up over 50% of calories in the US and UK but under 20% in the lowest-CVD nations.

Cut sugar-sweetened beverages (sodas, fruit juices, energy drinks, sweetened teas) from your diet. Reduce added sugar intake to well below 50g per day. Drink water, unsweetened tea, or black coffee instead.

Get regular blood pressure and cholesterol screening through your healthcare provider. Know your numbers: blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and fasting blood glucose. Begin screening by age 20 and repeat at intervals your doctor recommends.

Eat smaller portions, eat slowly, and stop before you feel completely full. The Japanese concept of Hara Hachi Bu (eating until 80% full) is a proven cultural practice that prevents overconsumption without calorie counting.

Incorporate fermented foods into your daily diet: yogurt, kimchi, miso, sauerkraut, kefir, natto, kombucha, or naturally fermented pickles. Aim for variety across different fermented food types.

Combat chronic stress through social meals with family and friends, meditation, deep breathing, and community engagement. Prioritize reducing social isolation, which is now recognized as a major independent CVD risk factor.

Aim for approximately 7 hours of sleep per night, which sits at the lowest point of the U-shaped CVD mortality curve. Maintain a consistent sleep schedule and prioritize sleep quality alongside duration.

If you drink alcohol, limit consumption to moderate levels (1 drink/day women, 1-2 drinks/day men) and drink with meals rather than in isolation. Red wine with food shows the most favorable cardiovascular profile. Avoid binge drinking of spirits entirely.

Drink 2-4 cups of green tea or 2-3 cups of coffee daily without added sugar. Green tea provides the strongest cardiovascular benefit, but black tea and coffee also contain protective polyphenols.

Aim for 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. Prioritize walking, cycling, and public transit over driving. The most effective exercise is the kind built into daily routines, not gym sessions.