This American Heart Month, show your heart some love!  Now is the perfect time to think about how to prioritize your cardiovascular health for the rest of 2025 and beyond.

American Heart Month was established to spread lifesaving information about the symptoms and causes of different conditions that can affect the heart system. One of the most important facts to remember is when it comes to your heart, blood vessels, and arteries, you should think in the long-term. But what does that look like on a day-to-day basis?

Heart Healthy Food Groups to Add to Your Grocery List

Over time, what we eat can impact the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively. The best way to help your heart is to fuel it with foods that support its long-term success.

Foods to Eat More Of:

• Fat Free or low-fat dairy
• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Whole grains
• Poultry
• Beans
• Nuts and Seeds
• Vegetable Oils
• Fish

Foods to Eat Less Of:

• Fatty Meats
• Full-fat Dairy
• Sugar Sweetened Beverages
• Sweets
• Salt

Discover delicious recipes for these food groups here: Recipes | American Heart Association Recipes.

Over time, eating foods on the “more” list supports blood flow throughout the heart and keeps blood sugar low. Heart-supporting foods have low amounts of “bad,” or LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein)  cholesterol, whereas foods with high LDL cholesterol leave a waxy-fatty substance behind when it passes through your heart. As years of LDL cholesterol pile up in your heart and vessels:

• Your heart rate will increase (beating faster)
• Your blood pressure will increase (the extra cholesterol creates more pressure)

These symptoms are key warning signs of heart disease, cardiovascular disease, and coronary heart disease. For more information, see NIH Resource.

Keeping your Heart Healthy with Movement

Moving your body gets your heart pumping in the best way possible! Exercising for 150 minutes or about 2 ½ hours a week can significantly lower the chances you develop heart disease (see NIH Resource 2). There are a lot of options to choose from to get your heart pumping.

Example of activities you can plan into your weekly schedule:

• Taking a 30-minute brisk walk
• Bike rides
• Online exercise classes 
• Dancing
• Sitting less
• Lift weights
• Yoga
• Taking the Stairs

If you’re worried about sticking with your plans, try including your friends, kids, or family members in your activity!

How Your Primary Care Doctor Can Help

When was the last time you had your blood pressure checked? Your primary care doctor can check your blood pressure and help you understand if your heart needs more support through exercise, diet, or medication.  You don’t have to manage your cardiovascular health on your own; CCI’s care team is here for you.

To schedule an appointment, call 866-877-7258, or to schedule a virtual appointment, visit cciweb.org/virtual-visit.