Guarding the Heart: The Lifeline of Love and Vitality

In the intricate dance of life, the heart plays a pivotal role, fuelling our existence with every beat. Beyond its physical function, the heart symbolizes love and emotional depth, making health paramount to our well-being. "Guarding the Heart: The Lifeline of Love and Vitality" explores the dual importance of heart health—how nurturing our physical heart supports life and the richness of love we experience. This article invites you to understand the essentials of heart health, emphasizing the intertwined nature of emotional wellness and physical vitality. Join us as we delve into practical strategies and insights to protect the core of our being and the essence of our capacity to love.

Understanding Heart Health: The Engine of Your Life

Think of your heart as the engine under your favourite car's hood. Like that engine keeps the car zooming down the highway, your heart keeps you moving, grooving, and loving life. But what happens when the engine needs a tune-up? That's what we're diving into in this heart-health journey.

The Heart: Your Body's Superstar

Your heart is like the superstar DJ of your body's nightclub, keeping the beats pumping and the crowd (your organs) dancing all night long. It's a muscle, but not just any muscle. It's the LeBron James of forces, working tirelessly to pump blood, delivering oxygen and nutrients to every corner of your body, from your brain to your toes.

Common Heart Hustles and Tussles

Just like any superstar, the heart can run into some trouble. Here are the top chart-toppers:

• Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is like a traffic jam in your heart's highways. Too much plaque (not the dental kind, but just as annoying) clogs up the roads, making blood flow tough.
• High Blood Pressure: Imagine your blood vessels as tiny garden hoses. If the pressure's too high, they can get damaged. High blood pressure is like turning the tap on full blast and expecting the hose not to burst.
• Heart Failure: Sounds dramatic, right? It's when your heart is like, "I can't even," and doesn't pump blood as well as it should. But it doesn't mean your heart stops beating—it's more like it's asking for some help.
• Arrhythmias: Ever dance to a beat that's off? Arrhythmias are when your heart beats too fast, too slow, or can't keep the rhythm. It's like trying to dance the salsa to a waltz tune.

Why Keeping Your Heart Happy Matters

A happy heart means a happy life. It's not just about avoiding the bad stuff; it's about feeling good, having the energy to chase your dreams (your kids or your pets), and enjoying every moment to its fullest.

Fun Facts to Pump Up Your Heart Knowledge

• Your heart beats about 100,000 times a day. That's a lot of love!
• Laughing is good for your heart. It reduces stress and gives your heart a healthy workout.
• The heart can continue beating even when it's disconnected from the body. Talk about independence!

Quick Heart-Healthy Quiz

1. What's the best type of exercise for your heart? a) Marathon Netflix binging b) Sprinting to the fridge at midnight c) A mix of cardio and strength training

Answer: c) A mix of cardio and strength training (though b) might be tempting).

Risk Factors for Heart Diseases: Navigating the Minefield

Welcome to the world of heart health, where understanding the risks is like having a map in a minefield. Knowing what to watch out for lets you dance through life without worrying about stepping on something that might blow up your heart health. Let's break down these risk factors into two main categories: the ones you can charm your way out of (adjustable) and those more like the height on your driver's license (non-modifiable).

The Ones You Can Flirt With (Modifiable Risks)

1. Diet Dilemmas: Imagine your body is a high-performance vehicle. Now, would you fuel it with low-grade petrol? A diet high in saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol is like doing just that. Opt for heart-healthy foods that keep your engine purring.
2. Smoke Signals: Smoking is like setting a small fire in your body's functioning ability. It damages your blood vessels and is one of the top risk factors for heart disease. Are you quitting smoking? That's like calling in the firefighters.
3. Sedentary Lifestyle: If Netflix and chill are your daily workouts, it's time to rethink your fitness strategy. Physical inactivity is a significant risk factor for heart disease. Think of exercise as your heart's love language.
4. Alcohol and Party Favours: While an occasional drink might not hurt, turning every day into a celebration can be hard on your heart. Moderation is key, just like in choosing party guests.
5. Stress Overload: Constant stress is like having a pesky neighbour who keeps throwing trash over your fence—it builds up and can wreak havoc in your heart's neighbourhood. Finding ways to relax and decompress is crucial.

The Ones You're Born With (Non-Modifiable Risks)

1. Age: Like a fine wine, your heart faces more challenges as it ages. Older age is a significant risk factor for heart disease, but you can age gracefully by caring for your heart.
2. Family History: If heart disease runs like a bad hair gene in your family, you have a higher risk. While you can't change your family tree, you can change how its history affects you.
3. Gender: Historically, men have been at a higher risk of heart disease at a younger age, but women catch up post-menopause. It's like a twisted game of tag, and everyone's it eventually.

Fun Ways to Remember and Address Risk Factors

• Create a Heart-Healthy Playlist: For every risk factor, add a song that motivates you to combat it. Dancing counts as exercise!
• Host a Healthy Potluck: Challenge your friends to bring dishes that fight against heart disease. It's a tasty way to learn about heart-healthy foods.
• Stress-Relief Challenge: Try a new stress-relief technique each week. Yoga, meditation, or even adult colouring books—find what makes your heart sing.

Navigating the risk factors for heart disease doesn't have to be a sad journey. By understanding what's in your control and taking steps to mitigate these risks, you're not just avoiding heart disease but embracing a heart-fulfilled life. Let's keep those heartbeats happy and healthy with a dash of fun and care.

Prevention and Management: Your Heart's Shield and Sword

Embarking on a quest for a healthy heart is like gearing up for an epic adventure. Your mission? To shield your heart from harm and wield the mighty sword of wellness to fend off the dragons of disease. Here's how you can become the hero in your heart's epic tale, focusing on prevention strategies and management tactics that keep the cardiovascular realm peaceful and prosperous.

Building the Shield: Prevention Tactics

1. Feast Like a Heart Hero: Imagine your plate as the kingdom you rule, filled with lush vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and heart-healthy fats. Banish the processed foods to the outskirts and embrace the natural bounty to keep your heart realm thriving.
2. The Daily Quest for Movement: Your body craves movement like a knight craves adventure. Whether walking, running, swimming, or dancing, regular exercise strengthens your heart and keeps the forces of disease at bay.
3. The Magic of Moderation: In the land of alcohol and tobacco, moderation and abstinence are your protective spells. Casting them helps keep your heart's enchantment solid and pure, warding off the shadows of harm.
4. Stress-Busting Spells: Learn the ancient arts of meditation, yoga, or deep breathing to combat the stress dragons. These practices restore peace to the heart kingdom, ensuring its ruler—your heart—remains calm and wise.
5. Regular Scout Reports: Keep allies close with regular check-ups and screenings. Knowledge is power, and knowing your heart's health status helps you adjust your strategies to protect and nurture it.

Wielding the Sword: Management Strategies

1. Allies in Medicine: Medications can be powerful allies for those already navigating the challenges of heart conditions. They help control blood pressure and cholesterol levels and prevent blood clots, acting as your arsenal in maintaining peace in the realm.
2. Rehabilitation Quests: Cardiac rehabilitation programs are like training camps for heart warriors, offering exercise, education, and support to strengthen your heart after an attack or surgery. It's a recovery journey, building resilience and endurance for future battles.
3. Lifestyle Alchemy: Transforming your lifestyle is an ongoing quest vital for prevention and management. This includes all the strategies under your shield, fine-tuned and personalized to meet the challenges of your heart's condition.
4. The Council of Experts: Never underestimate the power of a trusted healthcare team. Your doctors, nurses, and therapists are like the wise council guiding your decisions, offering advice, and supporting your quest for heart health.
5. Community and Fellowship: Surrounding yourself with fellow heart heroes—friends, family, support groups—provides strength and encouragement. Together, you can share victories, learn from defeats, and keep each other motivated on the path to wellness.

The Heart's Epic Continues

Remember, the quest for heart health is an ongoing saga filled with challenges, victories, and learning. By adopting prevention tactics and management strategies, you're not just surviving but thriving. Your heart writes its epic tale of resilience, love, and life with every beat. Equip it well, and it will carry you through many adventures.

Heart-Healthy Diet: The Culinary Quest for Vitality

Embarking on a culinary quest for a heart-healthy diet isn't just about dodging the forbidden fruits of fats and sugars; it's about discovering a treasure trove of flavours that fortify your heart's fortress. This journey doesn't lead you down a path of deprivation but through a lush garden of variety, taste, and nourishment. Here's how to feast like a heart-health champion and make every meal a step towards vitality.

The Foundation of the Feast

1. Fruits and Vegetables: The Royal Court - Imagine a kingdom where colourful fruits and verdant vegetables reign supreme. These natural jewels are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibres yet low in calories, making them the cornerstone of every heart-healthy meal.
2. Whole Grains: The Sturdy Steeds - Whole grains like oats, barley, and quinoa are the trusty steeds that carry you through the day. They provide the sustained energy your heart needs to beat vehemently, thanks to their rich fibre content that helps manage cholesterol.
3. Lean Proteins: The Valiant Knights - Lean meats, poultry, fish, and plant-based proteins stand guard to protect your heart. Fats rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon, are known to ward off heart disease.
4. Nuts and Seeds: The Loyal Squires - Almonds, walnuts, and flaxseeds are the squires in your heart's quest, offering a crunch of power-packed nutrients and healthy fats that keep your heart in prime fighting condition.
5. Legumes: The Wise Wizards - Beans, lentils, and peas, with their magic of fibre, protein, and complex carbs, work their health spells to lower cholesterol, control blood sugar, and reduce heart disease risk.

The Villains to Vanquish

1. Saturated and Trans Fats: The Dragons - Found in red meat, butter, and processed foods, these fats clog your heart's pathways. Slay these dragons by choosing their sworn enemies: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
2. Salt: The Sneaky Thief - Too much salt can steal your heart's health by raising blood pressure. Banish it from the kingdom by seasoning it with herbs and spices instead.
3. Added Sugars: The Sorcerers - These crafty sorcerers, hiding in sweetened drinks and snacks, cast spells of weight gain and heart trouble. Defeat them by choosing foods in their most natural form.

The Quest's Companions

1. Hydration: The Mystic Rivers - Drink plenty of water to keep the lifeblood of your kingdom—your blood—flowing smoothly and efficiently.
2. Moderation: The Shield - Even the most heart-healthy foods can turn against you in excess. Portion control is your shield against overindulgence.
3. Variety: The Spice of Life - Keep your quest interesting with various foods. This ensures you get all the nutrients your heart needs to thrive.

The Heart-Healthy Feast

Creating a heart-healthy diet is like preparing for a grand feast. Each choice you make adds to the tapestry of your health. It's not about strict rules or bland foods; it's about balancing nutrition with pleasure, making every meal an opportunity to nourish your heart and soul. So, set forth on this culinary quest with joy and purpose; your heart's vitality is the greatest treasure you'll discover.

Exercise and Heart Health: The Dynamic Duo of Vitality

In the epic tale of heart health, exercise emerges as the heroic partner, wielding the power to strengthen and protect the heart with every beat. This section delves into the symbiotic relationship between physical activity and cardiovascular well-being, illustrating how incorporating movement into your daily routine is akin to donning Armor in the battle for a healthy heart.

The Heart's Training Ground

1. Cardiovascular Crusades - Like knights embarking on quests, cardiovascular exercises such as walking, running, cycling, and swimming embark on a mission to increase heart rate, improve blood flow, and fortify the heart's endurance. These activities are the heart's training ground, preparing it to face any adversary with strength and resilience.
2. Strength Training: The Forge - Just as a blacksmith forges stronger Armor, strength training builds a more robust musculoskeletal system, aiding the heart by improving metabolism and reducing the burden of carrying the body's weight. Incorporating activities like weight lifting or resistance exercises twice a week can fortify your body's defences against heart disease.
3. Flexibility and Balance: The Art of War - The often-overlooked warriors of heart health, exercises focusing on flexibility and balance, such as yoga and Pilates, contribute to the overall strategy by reducing stress and enhancing circulation. They teach the body the art of moving gracefully, preventing falls and injuries, and ensuring the heart's rhythm remains uninterrupted.

The Battle Plan

1. Consistency Over Intensity - The key to victory lies not in the intensity of the assault but in the steadfastness of the campaign. Regular, moderate exercise is proven more effective in the long term than sporadic bouts of extreme activity.
2. Find Your Allies - Choose activities you enjoy, for they will become your closest allies in the battle for heart health. Joyful movement encourages consistency and turns exercise from a chore into a cherished part of your day.
3. Join Forces - Exercising with friends or family strengthens bonds and commitment. You'll keep each other motivated and accountable like a band of warriors.

The Spoils of War

1. A Stronger Fortress - Regular exercise reduces the risk of developing heart disease by strengthening the heart muscle, lowering blood pressure, improving cholesterol levels, and enhancing blood flow.
2. The Elixir of Youth - Physical activity can slow the heart's aging process, maintaining its youthful vigour and resilience, helping you lead a fuller, more active life.
3. The Shield Against Stress - Exercise is a potent stress reliever, acting as a shield that deflects the adverse effects of stress on the heart. It releases endorphins, the body's natural mood elevators, creating a sense of well-being and tranquillity.

Embarking on the Journey

The quest for heart health is a journey of a thousand miles, beginning with a single step. That step is making exercise an integral part of your life. As you embark on this adventure, remember that each stride, lift, and stretch is a declaration of love for your heart. The path may be long, and the battles hard fought, but the rewards of a healthy heart are worth every effort. Exercise and heart health form an invincible duo, guiding you towards a life brimming with vitality and vigour.

Monitoring and Regular Check-Ups: The Heart's Compass and Map

In the journey of heart health, monitoring and regular check-ups serve as your compass and map, guiding you through the terrain of wellness and alerting you to any detours needed to avoid danger. Just as a navigator wouldn't set sail without instruments, venturing into heart health requires tools to ensure you're on the right path. Here's how to stay vigilant and proactive in charting the course of your heart's well-being.

The Compass: Understanding Your Heart's Signals

1. Blood Pressure Monitoring: High blood pressure is a silent navigator, often without signs or symptoms, yet can lead you into stormy waters. Regular monitoring at home or by a healthcare provider ensures you're sailing smoothly.
2. Cholesterol Checks: Think of cholesterol as the cargo your ship carries. Too much, especially the wrong kind, can weigh you down, leading to a build-up in your arteries. Regular screening helps you balance the load.
3. Blood Sugar Levels: High blood sugar can be like an unseen current, silently affecting your heart's health and increasing your risk of diabetes. Keeping an eye on these levels is essential, especially if you're navigating the risk factors.

The Map: Navigating Through Regular Check-Ups

1. Annual Physical Exams: These exams are your yearly opportunity to review the map of your health, ensuring no new obstacles have appeared on your path. They offer a chance to discuss heart health strategies with your healthcare provider.
2. Cardiac Screenings: Depending on your age, family history, and risk factors, your doctor might recommend specific cardiac screenings. These could include EKGs (electrocardiograms) to measure your heart's electrical activity or stress tests to see how your heart performs under exertion.
3. Lifestyle and Family History Reviews: Part of your check-up should involve discussing lifestyle habits and any changes in your family's health history. These conversations can reveal hidden risks and treasures in your genetic map, guiding preventive strategies.

Setting Sail with Confidence

As every seasoned explorer needs their navigational tools, embarking on a heart health journey requires regular check-ups and monitoring. Here's how to make the most of these tools:

• Stay Proactive: Schedule and keep your appointments, even if you feel well. Preventive care is the key to avoiding unexpected storms.
• Keep a Log: Document your numbers (blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar) and any symptoms or changes in your health. This log can be invaluable in detecting trends over time.
• Ask Questions: Your healthcare provider is your co-navigator. Don't hesitate to ask questions or express concerns about your heart health.
• Adjust the Sails: Be ready to adjust your lifestyle based on the feedback from your check-ups. Sometimes, even small changes in diet, exercise, or medication can significantly impact your journey.

Monitoring and regular check-ups illuminate the path to heart health, offering clarity and direction in an often-complicated landscape. By staying vigilant and engaged with your heart health, you can confidently navigate life's waters, ensuring your heart remains strong, resilient, and ready for the adventures ahead.

Technological Advancements and Heart Health: Navigating the Future

The landscape of heart health is rapidly evolving, with technological advancements playing a pivotal role in understanding, diagnosing, and treating heart conditions. Like explorers equipped with the latest gear, today's healthcare professionals and patients harness cutting-edge technology to navigate the complexities of cardiovascular care more effectively than ever before. This section delves into the innovations shaping the future of heart health, offering a glimpse into the tools and techniques at the forefront of cardiac science.

Wearable Tech: The Personal Health Navigator

Wearable technology has transformed how we monitor heart health, offering real-time insights into our cardiovascular system. Devices like smartwatches and fitness trackers now come equipped with heart rate monitors, ECG functions, and oxygen saturation sensors, enabling users to detect irregularities early and seek timely medical advice. These gadgets are like having a personal cardiologist on your wrist, alerting you to potential heart health hazards as you go about your day.

Telemedicine: The Remote Heart Check

The rise of telemedicine has brought cardiac care into the digital age, allowing patients to consult with their doctors via video calls, share health data electronically, and receive remote monitoring. For those with chronic heart conditions, telehealth platforms can mean fewer hospital visits and the ability to manage their health from the comfort of their homes. It's akin to having a virtual bridge connecting patients with their healthcare providers, ensuring continuous care and guidance.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: The Smart Heart Analysts

AI and machine learning are revolutionizing the field of cardiology by enhancing diagnostic accuracy, personalizing treatment plans, and predicting health outcomes. These technologies can analyze vast amounts of data from electronic health records, imaging studies, and genetic tests, identifying patterns and risk factors that might elude the human eye. AI-powered tools are becoming indispensable allies in the quest for heart health, offering insights that drive more informed and effective care.

Minimally Invasive Procedures: The Gentle Conquerors

Advances in medical procedures have made treating heart conditions less invasive and more effective. Techniques like transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and minimally invasive robotic surgeries offer patients shorter recovery times, less pain, and reduced risk of complications. These innovations represent a leap forward in cardiac care, providing new hope and options for patients who might not be candidates for traditional surgery.

Regenerative Medicine: The Heart's Rebuilders

The frontier of regenerative medicine, including stem cell therapy and tissue engineering, holds promise for repairing damaged heart tissue and growing new heart parts. These groundbreaking approaches could one day cure heart failure and other chronic conditions by regenerating the heart from within, marking a new era in cardiac health where the heart can heal itself.

The Path Ahead

As we stand on the cusp of these technological advancements, the future of heart health looks brighter and more accessible. These innovations promise to improve outcomes for those with heart disease and empower individuals to take proactive steps towards maintaining heart health. The journey of cardiac care is entering a new horizon, driven by technology that makes the heart's health more manageable, personalized, and precise. In this age of technological marvels, safeguarding our hearts and ensuring their vitality has never been more achievable.

Vitamin Supplements Recommendation: Nourishing the Heart

In the quest for optimal heart health, the role of vitamin supplements can be akin to valuable allies, providing essential nutrients that may be missing from our diets. However, it's important to navigate this landscape with knowledge and caution, as not all supplements are created equal, and some are more beneficial for heart health than others. Here's a guide to the vitamins and supplements that have shown promise in supporting a healthy heart based on scientific research and guidelines from health organizations.

Essential Vitamins and Supplements for Heart Health

1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Fish Oil): Omega-3s are the shining knights in heart health, known for their role in reducing triglycerides, lowering blood pressure slightly, and decreasing the risk of arrhythmias. The American Heart Association recommends eating two servings of fish per week, particularly fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines. Fish oil supplements can be a valuable source of omega-3s for those who don't consume fish.
2. Vitamin D: Often dubbed the "sunshine vitamin," Vitamin D has a role in heart health, with deficiencies linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. While the body can produce Vitamin D through sunlight exposure, many people require supplementation to reach adequate levels, especially in regions with less sunlight.
3. Magnesium: This mineral plays a crucial role in hundreds of bodily processes, including those that regulate heart rhythm and blood pressure. Magnesium supplements may benefit those with magnesium deficiency or those at risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.
4. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10): CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant that helps generate energy in your cells and is beneficial for heart health. It's particularly recommended for individuals taking statins, as these cholesterol-lowering medications can reduce natural levels of CoQ10 in the body.
5. Fibre: Although not a vitamin, fibre supplements like psyllium husk can contribute to heart health by helping to lower cholesterol levels. A diet high in fibre from whole foods is ideal, but supplements can assist those struggling to meet their daily fibre intake.
6. Antioxidant Vitamins (A, C, E): While a diet rich in antioxidants from fruits and vegetables is best for heart health, supplementation with vitamins A, C, and E was once thought to offer heart benefits. However, recent studies suggest that antioxidant supplements may not provide the same benefits as whole foods and should not be relied upon for heart disease prevention.

Navigating the Supplement Sea

Before embarking on the journey of vitamin supplementation, consider these navigational aids:

• Consult with a Healthcare Provider: Before adding any supplement to your routine, especially if you have existing health conditions or are taking medication, consult a healthcare professional.
• Quality Matters: Choose supplements from reputable manufacturers independently tested for quality and purity.
• Diet First: Supplements should complement, not replace, a nutritious diet. Focus on a heart-healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats.
• Moderation is Key: More is not always better. High doses of specific vitamins and supplements can have adverse effects.

Incorporating the right supplements into your heart health strategy can be beneficial, but it's essential to approach this aspect of wellness with informed choices and professional guidance. By doing so, you can ensure that your heart receives the support it needs to thrive, powered by the nutrients you consume through your diet and those you choose to supplement.

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Conclusion: Embracing the Heart of the Matter

As we conclude our journey through "Guarding the Heart: The Lifeline of Love and Vitality," it's clear that heart health is not merely a clinical concern but a tapestry woven with the threads of lifestyle choices, emotional well-being, and technological advancements. We've navigated the realms of understanding heart health, risk factors, prevention and management strategies, the essentials of a heart-healthy diet, the importance of exercise, the significance of regular monitoring and check-ups, and the promising horizon of technological innovations. Each section has provided insights and tools to protect and enhance our hearts' vitality.

Heart health is a dynamic and personal journey influenced by various factors, from genetics to daily habits. The key takeaway is the power of proactive prevention—embracing lifestyle changes that nurture the heart, engaging with healthcare providers for regular monitoring, and staying informed about the latest advancements in heart care. The article has underscored the importance of a balanced diet, regular physical activity, stress management, and adherence to medical advice, alongside the exciting potential of technology to support our heart health goals.

In essence, guarding our hearts is about more than avoiding illness; it's about cultivating a life filled with vitality, love, and longevity. It's about making daily choices that honour this incredible organ that beats at the core of our being. As we look to the future, let us carry forward the lessons learned, inspired by the possibilities in the ever-evolving landscape of heart health.

Let's not forget that every heartbeat is a gift—a reminder of life's preciousness and the heart's central role in our journey through it. By taking to heart the insights shared in this article, we can all strive towards a future where our hearts are guarded and thriving, enabling us to embrace the full spectrum of human experience with strength, resilience, and love.

Remember, the quest for heart health is continuous, with each day offering a new opportunity to make choices that benefit our hearts. So, let's cherish and nurture our hearts with the same love and attention they tirelessly give us, ensuring that the lifeline of love and vitality pulses firmly within us for years to come.

Disclaimer

This article is intended for informational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read in this article. The recommendations and information provided herein are based on general health guidelines and may not be suitable for everyone. Individual health conditions, predispositions, and needs should be considered with healthcare professionals' guidance. The author and publisher of this article disclaim any liability arising directly or indirectly from using this material, as it is meant to inform and inspire readers to engage in further discussion with healthcare providers.

References:

1. American Heart Association. (2021, November 1). The American Heart Association Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations. Link
2. Lloyd-Jones, D.M., et al. (2021). 2021 Dietary Guidance to Improve Cardiovascular Health: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. AHA Journals. Link
3. Mayo Clinic. Heart Disease Prevention: Strategies to Keep Your Heart Healthy. Link
4. National Institutes of Health (NIH). Diet and Physical Activity for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention. Link
5. American Heart Association. Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults and Kids.  Link
6. Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Heart-healthy Diet: 8 Steps to Prevent Heart Disease. Link