15 surprising heart helpers
7. Win with nonalcoholic wine. Te antioxidants in a little red wine may increase “good” HDL cholesterol levels. Nonalcoholic wine also seems to lower blood pressure, researchers say, by increasing blood levels of nitric oxide, a chemical that relaxes blood vessels. If you choose regular red wine, Goldberg recommends drinking in moderation: Tat means one 4-ounce glass per day for women and up to two glasses for men.
8. Go nuts. Nuts such as almonds and walnuts have so much research backing their heart-protective powers that they’ve earned a qualified health claim from the FDA. Until recently, though, this recommendation came with a caveat: Eating the 1½ ounces that may reduce heart disease risk added up to only about 12 whole almonds, making it easy to overindulge, according to Goldberg. Te heartening news: Last year, food scientists discovered that almonds have 32 percent fewer calories than previously thought, so you can enjoy a few more without compromising your waistline.
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9. Make up for lost magnesium. Your heart is a muscle that pumps 24/7. “Te heart needs energy, and magnesium is a critical mineral for energy- producing reactions,” says Teitelbaum. “Magnesium will increase cardiac output about 75 percent.” Unfortunately, food processing reduces magnesium levels, which lowers most people’s overall intake, he says. To close the gap, eat magnesium- loaded almonds, green leafy vegetables, and lentils. Or supplement with 200 mg of magnesium per day.
10. Savor chocolate. Statin medication lowers heart disease risk in those without known heart problems by only 1.2 percent, says Teitelbaum. Eating a small square of chocolate daily is 25 times as effective at protecting your heart, without unwanted side effects. A study of nearly 5,000 people showed that those who ate chocolate (any kind) five times a week had a 57 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease compared with those who consumed no chocolate— probably thanks to chocolate’s polyphenol antioxidants, says Teitelbaum.
11. Cultivate your community. If you’re happy and you know it, you may decrease your heart disease risk by about 22 percent, according to a recent ten-year study of 1,700-plus people. Spend time with positive people you enjoy because loneliness actually increases blood pressure, researchers have found. “Reach out to your best friend whom you haven’t spoken to in a while and plan to get together,” says Goldberg. “People with a better support network live longer.” ➻
DARREN KEMPER / CORBIS
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