• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Eat Right Mama

Real World Eating & Living Advice with Bridget Swinney Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

  • Home
  • Pregnant
    • Pregnant with Twins? Eat This!
    • Pregnancy weight gain
      • 5 Easy Ways to Curb Pregnancy Weight Gain
      • Pregnant? What if You’re Not Gaining Enough?
    • Vitamin & Mineral Supplements
      • Tips for Shopping for and Taking Your Prenatal
      • Do You REALLY Need a Prenatal Vitamin? Five Reasons Why You Might
      • Vitamin D and Pregnancy
      • Which Individual Nutrient Supplements Might You Need during Pregnancy?
      • Iron Deficiency Anemia during Pregnancy
    • Food Safety
      • 4 Step Food Safety Guide To Keep You Safe During Pregnancy
      • Food Safety Tips for Pregnancy
      • Should You Eat Fish While Pregnant?
    • Morning Sickness
      • Making Morning Sickness More Manageable Online Course–Grab Yours Now!
      • Morning Sickness Recipes to Beat the Queasies!
      • Must Try Morning Sickness Survival Tips for Moms-To-Be
    • Healthy Eating during Pregnancy
      • Iodine: How to Make Sure You’re Getting Enough
      • 5 Reasons Why You Should Eat Strawberries While Pregnant
      • 5 Reasons Why You Should Eat Peanuts When You’re Pregnant
      • How to Fight Sugar Cravings during Pregnancy
      • 5 Tips to Shop Smart when Pregnant
      • Are You Getting Enough Calcium While Pregnant?
      • “Baby Brain” is Real–Try These Tips to Help Your Brain Work Better During Pregnancy
      • Seafood Sources of DHA for Pregnancy
      • 5 Reasons Why You Should Eat Peanut Butter (Even When You’re Pregnant)
      • Glycemic Index 101
      • 8 Great Almond Recipes–Plus Why You Should Eat Them When You’re Pregnant!
      • Healthy Seafood Recipes…for Pregnancy & Beyond!
      • How to Cap the Caffeine during Pregnancy
      • Caffeine Content: a Mom Need-to-Know
      • Alcohol-Free Drinks for National Margarita Day!
      • Moms-to-Be: Another Reason to Can the Diet Soda?
    • Healthy Living during Pregnancy
      • Realistic Advice from Dietitians About Your Pregnancy
      • Eat To Sleep
      • Should You Drink Coffee While Pregnant?
      • Positive Attitude During Pregnancy Could Affect your Child’s Risk of Overweight
      • Pregnant or Trying to Be? Here’s What You Need to Know about Zika
      • Zika: Still a Worry for Pregnant Women
      • Pregnant? Here’s Help to Be Smoke-Free
      • Pregnant? Steer Clear of Environmental Chemicals
      • Realistic Advice from Dietitians About Your Pregnancy
      • The Power of Being Unplugged: Do You Need a Digital Diet?
      • Pregnancy Apps You Need Right Now!
    • Happy Mother’s Day
  • Breastfeeding
    • Breastfeeding Roundup: A Must Read for Moms
    • What is a Healthy Breastfeeding Diet?
    • Can You Lose Weight While Breastfeeding?
  • Trying to Conceive
    • Eating Your Way to Increased Fertility With Veggies
    • Smoking and Fertility: What You Need to Know
    • Zika: Still a Worry for Pregnant Women
    • Exercise… Too much or Too little When Trying to Conceive?
    • Welcome to The Fertility Project!
    • Happy National Chocolate Day: Chocolate for Fertility
    • A Healthy Lifestyle is Job One When Trying to Conceive!
    • How Weight Affects Fertility: What You Need to Know
    • Eating for Fertility
    • Insulin Resistance, PCOS, and Fertility
    • Why Healthy Gums are Important for Fertility
    • Polycystic Ovary Syndrome & Diet: What You Need to Know
    • The Road to Pregnancy with PCOS
    • Male Fertility in the News: Reliable Reads
    • Dad’s Diet Important for Fertility says Dave Grotto, RDN
    • Trying to Conceive? 14 Foods to Fuel Your Fertility!
    • Avocado–Slice One Today!
    • Is Your Body Ready for a Baby? Take Our Pre-Pregnancy Quiz!
    • Pregnant or Trying to Be? Here’s What You Need to Know about Zika
    • How to Cap the Caffeine during Pregnancy
    • Program Your Baby For Good Health…Starting before Pregnancy
    • Glycemic Index 101
  • Healthy Kids
    • A Healthy Future begins With Childhood Habits
    • A Healthy Future begins With Childhood Habits
    • Back to School Lunch: Tips to Avoid Tossing or Trading
    • Artificial Sweeteners & Your Child’s Diet
    • 4 Healthy Options for Your Picky Toddler
    • Just Say No to Juice for Babies says American Academy of Pediatrics
    • How You Feed Your Baby: The First Step in Preventing Obesity Later in Life
    • 3 Healthy Apps Your Kids Will Love!
  • Healthy Eating/ Recipes
    • Limited Food Budget? Fitting in Fruits & Veggies
    • Buying Time with the Slow Cooker
    • 5 Reasons Why You Should Eat Sunflower Seeds
    • 13 Good for the Gut Recipes You Need to Try This Summer!
    • It’s Soup Season! Try this Easy Creamy Veggie Soup
    • Ho Ho Hold the Carbs!
    • Say “Cheese” for this Late Summer Appetizer
    • Make Crepes your New Family Tradition
    • 3 Healthy Apps Your Kids Will Love!
    • Pizza on the Grill—-When It’s Too Hot to Cook!
    • Fueling Your Immune System during the COVID-19 Pandemic
    • Is Your Diet a Fixer Upper?
    • Peanuts for Everyone! 25 Ways Eat Some Today
    • 5 Sandwich Fillings that Avoid Processed Meats
    • Meal Prep for Quick Family Meals
    • Steelhead Trout with Jicama Slaw–Great Leftover!
    • Quick Avocado Breakfast Tostada
    • 13 Good for the Gut Recipes You Need to Try This Summer!
    • Surprising Nutrition Advice from a Registered Dietitian
    • Go Green with a Registered Dietitian: It’s National Nutrition Month!
    • 12 Healthy Nut Recipes You Can’t Resist!
    • 8 Great Almond Recipes–Plus Why You Should Eat Them When You’re Pregnant!
    • Channel Your Cravings into Something Healthy!
    • 5 Reasons Why You Should Eat Peanut Butter (Even When You’re Pregnant)
    • Let Us Eat Chocolate!
    • Five Things You Can Do TODAY to Cut Your Heart Disease Risk!
    • Avocado–Slice One Today!
    • Building a Better Sandwich
    • Healthiest Restaurant Main Dish Salads
    • Vegetarian Shopping– The A to Z Guide
    • Main Dish Salads For Supper–Deconstructed!
    • Eat More Veggies–Shopping, Storing, Cooking
    • Veggies: 13 Ways to Eat More
    • Think Outside the Sandwich for Lunch
    • Blueberries for Breakfast!
    • Caffeine Content: a Mom Need-to-Know
    • Alcohol-Free Drinks for National Margarita Day!
    • Got Allergies? Try these foods!
    • Glycemic Index 101
    • Preschool Lunch Ideas: Suggestions for Success
    • 4 Skin Moisturizers You Can Eat!
    • 3 Ways to Clean Up Your Beauty Routine
    • Hurricane Harvey–Safe Cooking from the Pantry
    • March is National Nutrition Month!
    • Trying to Lose Weight? Try These Tips
    • 5 Reasons Why You Should Eat Sunflower Seeds
    • March is National Nutrition Month!
    • The Mustard Seed Café
    • Make it a Cheesy Night with Fondue
  • Healthy Living
    • Earth Day–Enlightening Ideas for Kids
    • Earth Day 2024:  17 Ways to Eat More Sustainably
    • Pregnant During Covid-19? Tips to Stay Healthy
    • Is Your Diet a Fixer Upper?
    • Eat To Sleep
    • Why You Should Try Pasture-Raised Pork
    • 5 Heart Health Myths for Women
    • Happy Healthy Heart Month!
    • Choline for Everyone: The Important Nutrient You’ve Never Heard Of
    • New Year, New You in 5 Easy Steps!
    • Food Safety Mistakes to Avoid!
    • Just Say No to Juice for Babies says American Academy of Pediatrics
    • Establishing Healthy Habits: Six Tips
    • Pesticides: A Risk Factor for ADHD?
  • Healthy Travel
    • Healthy Snacks for When You’re Traveling
    • Healthiest Restaurant Main Dish Salads
    • Thirteen Healthy Travel Tips
  • Parenting Advice
    • 10 Must-Have Baby Products for New Mamas
    • Positive Attitude During Pregnancy Could Affect your Child’s Risk of Overweight
    • Best Parenting Books for New Parents
    • Back to School Lunch: Tips to Avoid Tossing or Trading
    • The Power of Being Unplugged: Do You Need a Digital Diet?
  • Living Clean
    • Earth Day 2024:  17 Ways to Eat More Sustainably
    • Earth Day–Enlightening Ideas for Kids
  • About Bridget
  • Bridget Swinney MS, RDN: Work with Me!
  • Contact
  • SHOP!
Home » Five Things You Can Do TODAY to Cut Your Heart Disease Risk!

Five Things You Can Do TODAY to Cut Your Heart Disease Risk!

February 11, 2017 by Bridget Leave a Comment

February is American Heart Month.

Time to think about what keeps your body running day in and day out, probably without complaint. It’s also time to reflect on what you can do to avoid heart disease!

But first, did you know that heart disease is the #1 KILLER of women? Now you do. Here’s another fact: Most of the things you can do to prevent your risk of heart disease will also help you cut the odds of getting cancer. It’s  a “two-fer”!

We used to think that heart disease was a disease of “old people.” Actually, the beginnings of heart disease can start in childhood! Whatever your age is, it’s never too late to decrease your risk.

Today I’m giving you five things you can do to help your heart. And the last one may surprise you!

  1. Take a walk.
    Waling: one of 5 easy things that cuts your risk of heart disease. More here: bit.ly/2lFyK9W eatrightmama.com

    Take a walk for heart health!

    Yep it’s that simple. Walk out the door and put one foot in front of the other. Whether it’s for 5 minutes of 50, it’s doing your body and your heart good: decreasing stress, improving blood flow to heart and the rest of your body. 5 easy ways to cut your #heart disease risk: bit.ly/2lFyK9W #heartmonth #GoRedforWomen Share on X

  2. Grab an orange. Or some cantaloupe. Or a mango. Not a fruit eater? How about some avocado, a potato or a handful of pistachios? Eating these high potassium foods can lower blood pressure. Blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease.
  3. Oranges and kiwis. Potassium-rich fruits that can cut your risk of heart disease. More tips here: bit.ly/2lFyK9W
  4. Breathe. Ok, this one is too easy, right? Stress is bad for the heart, blood pressure and the body in general. When we are stressed we tend to do things that lead us down the path towards heart disease. Like overeating, over drinking, not exercising or eating well. Breathing helps damp down the adrenaline and relax our muscles.

    Yoga is the perfect exercise to help you breathe and you can do it anywhere!

  5. Pack a lunch. Pack a lunch for a healthier heart!I’ll admit that this one will take a little time and planning. But it is totally worth it. What happens when you don’t pack a lunch? Your co-worker talks you into fast food and your healthy diet is gone for the day. Or you end up not having time to find lunch and instead eat a chocolate bar and a sofa. Ugh—not exactly heart healthy! Sometimes packing a lunch just means putting leftovers in to-go dishes for the next day. Or stocking up on some healthy frozen dinners.
  6. Laugh. Asian couple laughingThat saying that “laughter is the best medicine” does have truth in it. It decreases stress and anxiety, lowers blood pressure and may decrease inflammation in blood vessels, which is the foundation for atherosclerosis. See the study at the University of Maryland here.

So you see? It’s not all that hard to get heart-healthy. Just take it one step at a time!

Filed Under: Family Nutrition, Health News You Can Use, Healthy Eating, Healthy Living Tagged With: avocado, breathe, cantaloupe, exercise, fruit, heart disease, laughter is the best medicine, mango, nutrition, orange kiwi, pack a lunch, pistachios, potassium, walking, women's health

Previous Post: « 5 Reasons Why You Should Eat Peanut Butter
Next Post: 8 Great Almond Recipes–Plus Why You Should Eat Them When You’re Pregnant! »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hey there–I’m really glad you stopped by!

I'm Bridget...and I'm a mom on a mission to help you and your family eat healthier. I'm also a registered dietitian and author of three books on family nutrition.

Check Out My YouTube Intro!

Read More about Bridget…

Check out my latest book!

Follow Me Here for more nutrition wisdom!!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Recent Posts

  • Thinking About New Year Goals
  • Cut Cravings without Semaglutide Drugs
  • Should You Take a Multivitamin?
  • Earth Day 2024:  17 Ways to Eat More Sustainably
  • Why You Should Eat More High Fiber Foods

Categories

healthy eating

alcohol-free holiday drinks avocado breastfeeding Bridget Swinney Bridget Swinney RD calcium-rich CDC cheap home workouts cheese chocolate Chrissy Carroll RD Christy Brissette RD cocoa crustless quiche recipes eating for fertility eggs Elizabeth Ward RD Emily Kyle RD exercise family time fertility fruits healthy chocolate recipes healthy eating holiday eating tips Jessica Levinson RD Jessi Haggerty RD morning sickness nutrition Nutritioulicious overweight peanut butter pregnancy pregnancy nutrition prenatal nutrition prenatal vitamin salmon screen-free activities seafood Trying to Conceive Twelve days of Christmas vegetables veggies ways to stay on track over the weekend whole grains

Copyright © 2025 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress