05/02/2026
If you don't take care of your heart, who else will? No matter your age, everyone can benefit from a healthy diet and adequate physical activity.
Choose a healthy eating plan. The food you eat can decrease your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Pick foods low in saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium. As part of a healthy diet, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, fiber-rich whole grains, fish (preferably oily fish at least twice weekly), nuts, legumes and seeds. Select lower-fat dairy products and skinless poultry. Limit sugar-sweetened beverages and red meat. If you choose to eat meat, select the leanest cuts available.
Be physically active. You can slowly work up to at least 2½ hours (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity (e.g., brisk walking) every week or 1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity (e.g., jogging, running) or a combination of both every week. Learn the American Heart Association's Guidelines for Physical Activity in Adults and in Children.
Additionally, on two or more days a week you need muscle-strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest shoulders and arms). Children should get at least 60 minutes of activity daily.
Learn the warning signs. It’s never too early or too late to learn the warning signs of a heart attack and stroke. Not everyone experiences sudden numbness with a stroke or severe chest pain with a heart attack. Heart attack symptoms in women can be different than men.
