This Group is for people that have loved ones or personally want to improve their heart health.. This Group creates a forum that allows anyone wishing to improve their heart health to discuss remedial courses of action with others. 

Heart Wellness

Many of the health headlines we see emphasise the importance of starting young – whether it’s diet, exercise or general health.

There’s no doubt that when you can incorporate principles of wellness – things like eating whole foods, getting enough exercise and sleep – early on in life, your health is generally better down the track.

But those headlines can also be dispiriting, because if you haven’t had the best start, does it mean it’s not worth trying to get fit later in life? Not so, according to new American research.

The researchers analysed a large data set made up of surveys, where hundreds of thousands of Americans had been asked to estimate how physically active they’d been at different points in their life – between 15 and 18, between 19 and 29, between 35 and 39 and then between 40 and 61 years of age.

This allowed the creation of life exercise ‘trajectories’;  for example, people who didn’t exercise early in life, but did in later life, or those who steadily exercised throughout the entire period measured.

The researchers also looked at all the deaths that occurred in this cohort – whether from heart disease, cancer or some other cause. Then they married up the two sets of data – exercise trajectories and deaths – to see whether certain trajectories led to a higher or lower risk of age adjusted death.

As you’d expect, they found those who were at the highest levels of physical activity throughout their entire life had the lowest risk of death compared to those who did nothing at all. But those who were inactive in their early years and then got started on the treadmill in middle age also had a comparably low risk of mortality.

Heart Health Implications

If you’re already active and have been for most of your life – keep it up! But the authors say that these results show midlife is not too late to become more physically active and improve your chances of living into a healthy old age.

Can you really improve your heart health by eating more plant-based foods? Research says yes. Resoundingly. So maybe it's time to start looking at all that colorful produce piled in bins at your local store as delicious medicine for your heart.

Investigators have studied the relationship between plant-based food intake and various ailments in many, many studies. Spoiler alert: Eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains wins. These are just a few key research findings: 

• High cholesterol. Reviewing 11 different studies, researchers concluded that plant-based diets helped people significantly improve both their cholesterol level and weight.
• High blood pressure. In another study, people who ate more fruit had a lower risk of developing hypertension (high blood pressure). In particular, eating blueberries, apples, pears, raisins and grapes all had a beneficial impact on blood pressure.
• Cardiovascular disease. Researchers compiled the findings of 95 different studies and concluded: Eating more fruits and vegetables daily reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. Apples, pears, citrus fruits and leafy greens all helped heart health.
• Chronic heart disease. One large study found that people who ate more vegetables had a smaller risk of chronic heart disease; in fact, the more veggies they ate, the more their risk went down.

Your Heart Health Action Plan 

Switching up a carb, sugar and protein-heavy diet to one that's rich in plant-based foods takes initiative and planning. But resolving to do better for your heart is a great first step.

"Most of us don't eat enough plant food, which is so important for heart health," says Jason Ewoldt, R.D.N.,L.D., a wellness dietitian at Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program. And, in a plant-based diet, Ewoldt says, you can eat virtually unlimited amounts of fresh or frozen fruits and veggies. Whole grains, legumes (beans), healthy oils, seeds and nuts round out a plant-based diet. 

Ewoldt offers some pro tips to help you get your diet on the right track for heart health.

1. Don't set yourself up for failure. Determined to eat more plant-based foods? Great. But rushing to the store with good intentions isn't the answer. All that produce you load into your cart will probably be spoiling in your fridge a week later.
2. Make a weekly meal plan, then shop. Your plan should include incremental change. If you eat only, say, a vegetable with dinner, begin by adding a second serving — how about fruit with breakfast? Once you've established that routine, add a third serving, maybe a salad at lunch. If you make the plan, you're more likely to stick to it.
3. Get creative with prep. Steam, broil, roast, blend, saute: It's chef's choice here. So mix up a smoothie, simmer some soup or toss a salad — it all counts.
4. Use the stealth approach. Sneak extra veggies into salads, soups and casseroles; add berries and other fruit to whole-grain breakfast cereals, salads and snacks. You'll improve your health and you won't even know it.

Your resolve matters. Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of Americans. So why not use the natural preventive power of plant-based foods to protect your heart from hurt?

Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/power-plant-based-diet-for-heart-health/art-20454743