High blood pressure usually has no symptoms, so have it checked on a regular basis. Your health care team should measure your blood pressure at least once every 2 years if you have never had high blood pressure or other risk factors for heart disease.

If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, also called hypertension, your health care team will measure your blood pressure more often to make sure you have the condition under control. Talk with your health care team about how often you should check your blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, your health care team might recommend some changes in your lifestyle, such as lowering the sodium in your diet; your doctor may also prescribe medicine to help lower your blood pressure.

If you have diabetes, monitor your blood sugar levels carefully. Talk with your health care team about treatment options. Your doctor may recommend certain lifestyle changes to help keep your blood sugar under control.

These actions will help reduce your risk for heart disease. Never stop taking your medicine without first talking to your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. You and your health care team can work together to prevent or treat the medical conditions that lead to heart disease.

Discuss your treatment plan regularly, and bring a list of questions to your appointments. Talk with your health care team about how heart disease and mental health disorders are related.

Your treatment plan may include medicines or surgery and lifestyle changes to reduce your risk. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to search.

Español Other Languages. Prevent Heart Disease. Minus Related Pages. Share Fact Sheets About Heart Disease Patient Education Handouts. Choose Healthy Foods and Drinks Choose healthy meals and snacks to help prevent heart disease and its complications. Eating lots of foods high in saturated fat and trans fat may contribute to heart disease.

Eating foods high in fiber and low in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol can help prevent high cholesterol. Limiting salt sodium in your diet can also lower your blood pressure. Limiting sugar in your diet can lower your blood sugar level to prevent or help control diabetes.

Do not drink too much alcohol, which can raise your blood pressure. Men should have no more than 2 drinks per day, and women no more than 1 drink per day. Keep a Healthy Weight People with overweight or obesity have a higher risk for heart disease.

Get Regular Physical Activity Physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight and lower your blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. Take Charge of Your Medical Conditions If you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, you can take steps to lower your risk for heart disease.

Check Your Cholesterol Your health care team should test your blood levels of cholesterol at least once every 4 to 6 years. Control Your Blood Pressure High blood pressure usually has no symptoms, so have it checked on a regular basis.

Manage Your Diabetes If you have diabetes, monitor your blood sugar levels carefully. We recommended consuming more fish, poultry, and plant-based proteins such as soy, nuts, seeds, legumes, and beans as your primary source of protein.

The omega-3s in fish and walnuts, as well as the vitamins and minerals found in legumes and beans, can also help to reduce cholesterol levels. To improve our eating habits, we need to eliminate barriers that may stop us short of our goal, and one of the most frequently reported barriers to eating fruits and vegetables on a regular basis, is cost.

By simply planning ahead one can improve diet quality without increasing cost. The following tips can promote healthy eating on a budget. Physical activity is critical for a long, healthy, independent life.

The best physical activities are the ones you enjoy doing regularly, just check in with your doctor before starting any new exercise. Research shows even 20 minutes of physical activity a day can reduce your risk of heart disease. Jonathan Whiteson, a Cardio-Pulmonary Rehabilitation specialist at NYU Langone, has a workout prescription he calls FITT: frequency, intensity, type, and time.

The recommendation is between hours of sleep per night. Sleep benefits come from consistent nightly sleep. Creating a bed time ritual by eliminating screen time can help signal to the brain that sleep time is approaching and can induce the release of melatonin, a natural sleep aid hormone.

This National Heart Month, our Registered Dietitian Nutritionists offer tips for your heart health. Eating mostly plant foods can help protect you from cancer and other diseases such as heart disease.

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July 24, Got unhealthy heart habits: Destressing is key to change Constant stress — whether from a traffic-choked daily commute, unhappy marriage, or heavy workload — can have real physical effects on the body. Stay positive. Developing a new hobby Volunteering in the community Joining a community or neighbourhood group Joining a book club, gardening club or hiking club Enrolling in a course to learn a new skill Joining an exercise class or sports team Connecting online with family and old or new friends.

To learn about more ways to expand your social connections and reduce isolation, you can visit:. When should I seek professional help to maintain my mental wellness? To find a counsellor visit:. The BC Association of Clinical Counsellors The BC Association of Social Workers The BC Association of Psychologists Your local Fraser Health mental health office.

Mental wellness information from Fraser Health Fraser Health's mental health and substance use web resource Here to Help: Seniors and depression.

Text Size. In this section. Healthy eating for your heart. Managing your blood cholesterol for your heart. Managing your blood pressure for your heart. Making lifestyle changes for your heart.

Quit smoking for your heart. Screening for heart disease. But sometimes, they develop slowly — hours, days, or even weeks before a heart attack happens. Talk to your doctor if you feel unusually tired for several days, or if you develop any new health problems like pain or trouble breathing.

An ambulance is the best and safest way to get to the hospital. People who call an ambulance often get treated faster at the hospital. And when you call , the operator can tell you what to do until the ambulance gets there. High cholesterol and high blood pressure can cause heart disease and heart attack.

If your cholesterol or blood pressure numbers are high, you can take steps to lower them. Some people will need to get it checked more or less often. Learn more about cholesterol testing. High blood pressure has no symptoms. Get the facts about blood pressure testing.

Your family history affects your risk for heart disease. Share the information with your doctor or nurse. Talk with your doctor to find out if taking aspirin is the right choice for you.

Use these questions to talk with your doctor about statins. Learn more about eating healthy. Heart-healthy items include high-fiber foods whole grains, fruits, and vegetables and certain fats like the fats in olive oil and fish.

Use this shopping list to find heart-healthy foods. For example, ask for a side salad instead of chips or french fries. Get heart-healthy tips for dining out [PDF — 3 MB]. That means 1 drink or less in a day for women and 2 drinks or less in a day for men.

Learn more about drinking alcohol only in moderation. Getting regular physical activity can help prevent heart disease. Adults need at least minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. Try fitting a quick walk into your day. Learn more about getting active.