There are a few things that are absolutely essential to keeping your heart healthy. This includes eating healthy, exercising regularly and taking supplements to keep yourself in tip-top shape.

Exercise

Cardiovascular exercise is extremely important to the health of your heart. When you exercise, your heart rate increases, building strength and endurance. Without exercise, your heart isn�t getting the workout it needs.

You want to make sure you exercise at least three times a week for a half an hour straight. If you don�t build up a sweat and your heart rate isn�t increasing, you�re not exercising hard enough.

You should be able to feel the effect of the exercise, but be careful not to overdo it. If you reach the point that you can�t talk during exercise, you�ve gone too far and it�s time to stop.

Weight Watching

Watching your weight is also extremely important to a healthy heart. If you�re more than twenty pounds overweight, it�s time to go on a diet.

Dieting does not mean that you starve yourself of the nutrients your body needs. It simply means that you watch your caloric intake and make sensible choices when planning your daily menu.

Eating Healthy

Speaking of menu planning, eating healthy is probably one of the biggest steps towards a healthy heart.

It�s important to stick to foods that are low in fat, cholesterol and salt. High fiber foods are great for your heart. Fruits and vegetables make up a big party of a healthy diet.

Blood Pressure

If you want your heart to be healthy, you need to keep your blood pressure in line. Thousands of people suffer from high blood pressure, and high blood pressure is very, very bad for your heart.

If you have high blood pressure, you should regulate the cholesterol in your diet and take a dietary supplement like the one at LowerYourCholesterolNow.com.

By controlling your blood pressure you�ll be doing your heart a big favor.

By watching your blood pressure and diet and exercising regularly, your heart will reap the benefits of greater health and you�ll reap the benefits of a healthy heart.

Here are Top 5 Ways to Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease from the Healthy Heart Guide

1. FOLLOW A HEART HEALTHY DIET

Try to Limit intake of trans fats and hydrogenated oils found in margarine, fast food, fried food, etc. as well as refined sugar intake from cakes, cookies, candy, etc. Use extra virgin olive oil and garlic in cooking - they can lower cholesterol. Add Omega 3 Fatty Acids to your diet - the best source is Fish Oil

2. EXERCISE REGULARLY

Try to exercise 3-4 times per week, for at least a half hour at a time. Keep your routine going, and start off slow. Always stretch before and after training. Keep yourself hydrated and rest between sets.

3. LEAD A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

Stop smoking and avoid second hand smoke - both are major causes of heart disease.
Limit your intake of alcohol - excessive alcohol can deplete your body's supply of vitamins and other nutrients. Try to reduce stress and anxiety - they can lead to high blood pressure and other health conditions. Keep your weight within recommended limits - obesity is a leading cause of heart disease.

4. KEEP TABS ON THE (4) BLOOD INDICATORS OF DEVELOPING HEART DISEASE
Make sure you get tested for increased cholesterol, triglycerides (fat), homocysteine and C Reactive Protein levels, and follow the protocols if any one of these indicators is elevated:

A. If your cholesterol is high, you can lower cholesterol naturally with policosanol, guggulipid and other herbal extracts as well as Fish Oil. R
emember, only 20% of your cholesterol comes from what you eat, the other 80% is manufactured