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The key to preventing heart failure is to reduce your risk factors. You can control or eliminate many of the risk factors for heart disease high blood pressure and coronary artery disease, for example by making lifestyle changes along with the help of any needed medications.

Follow a heart healthy diet. A heart healthy diet includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It also includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, and fat free or low fat milk or milk products. A heart healthy diet is low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium (salt), and added sugar. If you smoke, try to quit. Talk to your doctor about programs and products that can help you quit smoking. Also, try to avoid secondhand smoke. Lose weight if you’re overweight or obese. Do physical activity regularly. People gain health benefits from as little as 60 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week. The more active you are, the more you will benefit. Avoid using illegal drugs.

A healthy lifestyle. Individuals reduce their chance of developing heart failure if they live a healthy life that includes such things as regular exercise, a healthy diet, maintaining a desirable weight, and not smoking.

Treating and monitoring underlying diseases and conditions that may contribute to heart failure, such as coronary artery disease, heart valve damage, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and thyroid disease.People who already have heart failure can take steps to stop it from becoming worse and, in some cases, improve the heart’s function. These strategies are called “secondary prevention.Regular physical examinations to detect heart failure before symptoms appear, and early treatment to control the condition before it is a threat to life or interferes with normal activities.Early treatment of underlying problems such as cardiovascular disease, abnormal heart rhythms, thyroid disease and anemia before significant damage is done to the heart.

Limit Alcohol:If you drink alcohol, drink moderately. This means no more than 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women. Heavy consumption of alcohol can lead to heart failure.

Control Diabetes:Take your medicines as directed, and work with your doctor to make a diet and exercise plan to control diabetes.

Get Regular Exercise:Exercise will help control your weight, blood pressure, and stress. Controlling these things will help keep your heart healthy. Try to do activities that raise your heart rate. Aim for at least 2½ hours of moderate exercise a week. One way to do this is to be active at least 10 minutes 3 times a day, 5 days a week. Talk to your doctor before starting an exercise program.

Control Your Blood Pressure:High blood pressure raises your risk of getting heart disease. Studies show that lowering blood pressure to normal levels in people who have high blood pressure could reduce the cases of heart failure by half. Exercising, limiting alcohol, and controlling stress will help keep your blood pressure in a healthy range.

Lower Your Cholesterol:If you have high cholesterol, follow your doctor’s advice for lowering it. Eating a heart-healthy diet-such as the TLC diet -exercising, and quitting smoking will help keep your cholesterol low.

Don’t Smoke:If you smoke, quit. Smoking greatly increases your risk for heart disease. Avoid secondhand smoke too.

Medications or surgical procedures may be the best way to reduce your symptoms of heart failure and improve your long term outcome. There are various drugs and surgical procedures used to treat heart failure. Keep in mind that many treatments do not require hospitalization. Remember that medical treatments should always be complemented with a healthy lifestyle.

If you have a healthy heart, there are several actions that you can take to keep it that way. Your diet may be at the top of the list. Get most of your calories from heart-healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. You should also eat whole grains, low-fat diary and lean animal proteins like chicken and fish. Also be mindful of your salt, saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol intake.

Maintaining a healthy weight is important as well. You can do so with a healthy diet, but you should also find time to exercise. Most authorities on the subject suggest 30 minutes of some sort of activity most days of the week.If you smoke, quit as soon as possible. You should also avoid second-hand smoke.