You have more control over your heart health than you may think—a whole lot more, suggests a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Researchers followed nearly 70,000 women for two decades and concluded that three-quarters of heart attacks in young women could be prevented if they closely followed six healthy lifestyle practices, even if they’d been diagnosed with one or more risk factors such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. In fact, women who adhered to all six healthy lifestyle practices had a 92% lower risk of heart attack and a 66% lower risk of developing a risk factor for heart disease. If adopting all six habits sounds overwhelming, don’t worry. Lead study author Andrea K. Chomistek, an associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at Indiana University’s School of Public Health in Bloomington points out: “Picking up one, two, or three of these lifestyle habits still has a benefit.” Check out these 6 habits that can save your heart. Not smoking Chomistek says that this is the most influential change you can make. Science has proven time and time again that smoking increases the risk for cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke. And the sooner you quit, the sooner you reap health benefits. Research published in the European Journal of Epidemiology found that people who quit smoking lowered their risk of disease by 40% in 5 years. A normal body mass index Obesity was deemed a disease by the American Medical Association in 2013 because carrying extra weight may lead to factors that contribute to conditions such as heart disease. This is just one of the reasons why a healthy body mass index makes the list, but as Chomistek points out, people can be overweight and still be cardiovascularly fit. So while you might be fighting the battle of the bulge, if you are eating well and exercising—two of the lifestyle factors on this list—you’re still helping to ward off heart disease. MORE: 7 Weird Ways You’re Increasing Your Risk Of Heart Disease Exercising at least 2.5 hours a weekIncorporating daily activity into your routine can help diminish your heart disease risk by 46%, suggests a 2014 study published in the journal Circulation. Just make sure you’re reaping the benefits by getting in a few sessions that make you really huff and puff. (Check out these 25 ways to fit in 10 minutes of exercise.) Watching 7 or fewer hours of TV a week Photo by Jeffrey Coolidge/Getty Images We’re sure you’ve seen the studies that show sitting for long periods diminishes your mortality rate, eating in front of the TV contributes to overeating, and using electronics prior to bed disrupts sleep. By reducing the time that you’re planted in front of the television, you can increase the amount of time that you’re exercising, socializing, and relaxing—all things that can also help slash your heart disease risk. Drinking an average of one alcoholic drink per dayAccording to Chomistek, this is one of the least influential lifestyle habits on your heart health. “If you drink alcohol, limit it to one drink a day; but if you don’t drink, I’m not going to recommend that you start.” Eating a high-quality dietChomistek explains that the participants in the study who experienced the least heart disease risk ate a diet that was high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and fish, and low in red and processed meats, and trans fats. MORE: 13 Ways To Lower Blood Pressure Naturally
