If you’ve been an adult for any length of time, you already know that the better you treat your body, the healthier you’re going to be. Exercising, eating right, and avoiding things that will damage your body is the best way to live to a ripe old age. 

While most people know about the healthy habits needed to increase their overall health, not everyone realizes how important it is to increase your heart health as well. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the world, so strengthening the muscle will help you avoid medical problem and help you live a longer life. Looking for tips on the best way to strengthen your heart? 

Take Your Supplements

While the proof is inconclusive, there have been studies that show that taking fish oil supplements will help to lower your risk of developing heart disease. Fish oil supports heart health because the pills contain EPA and DHA Omega 3 fatty acids, which are good for your heart. 

Taking supplements on top of the other things you’re doing to make your heart healthy is a great idea. 

Lose Weight

Heart disease has been linked to obesity in many people. While you may be exercising and eating right, losing weight is a personal journey and not every diet works for every person. It’s best to consult your primary care provider if you’re obese and let them determine the best course of action for you. 

Losing weight will reduce your chance of developing heart problems quite a bit. 

Know Your Good Fats from Your Bad Fats

If you want to take care of your heart, you need to learn to separate the good fats from the bad fats. Good fats are mono and polyunsaturated and bad fats are saturated and trans fats. For example, use canola or olive oil instead of butter in your cooking and choose lean meats such as fish and chicken, rather than the fattier cuts of meat. 

Quit Smoking

Quitting smoking can be tough, but if you want to be heart-healthy, it’s something you really need to work on. The same is true of drinking. Even though a glass of wine a day can be good for your heart, you don’t want to take it to the extreme, and you definitely should stay away from hard liquor and beer. 

Don’t Forget to Buy the Chocolate

One of the best tips on this list is to eat more chocolate to be heart-healthy. Research shows that dark chocolate contributes to heart health. However, chocolate is only a benefit in moderation. 

That means that you can eat dark chocolate but not to excess and still be heart healthy. Cocoa, which is a key ingredient in chocolate, has been known to improve your blood clotting function and increase good cholesterol while lowering bad cholesterol. 

So, don’t forget to pick up some chocolate while you’re at the grocery store. Just don’t go overboard and eat all of it at once.

Get Moving

The best way to be heart-healthy is to get out there and keep moving. Whether it’s a day at the gym twice a week or taking a walk around the neighborhood before lunch and after dinner, keeping moving will go a long way towards keeping your heart in good condition and you healthy overall. 

These are just a few of the best tips out there for helping you become heart-healthy. From walking to eating chocolate in moderation and from taking your supplements to dropping bad habits, following these tips will have you in good shape in no time at all.