3 Healthy Choices for Your Heart

More than 80 million Americans suffer from cardiovascular disease, including millions with conditions and risk factors such as coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, and high total cholesterol.

1. Baby Aspirin

Taking aspirin every day is one popular and effective way to protect against heart attacks. How does it work? This over-the-counter (OTC) drug helps prevent heart attacks by blocking the development of clots that stop blood flow to the heart. Often recommended for heart attack prevention among people with elevated risk factors for heart disease, aspirin may also be suggested to protect against a second attack. The downside of this blood-thinning effect is a possible increase in the risk of bleeding—from minor nosebleeds to dangerous bleeding in the brain or stomach—in some people.

The authors of a recent review of aspirin for long-term heart disease prevention note that more than 50 million Americans are taking it for this reason. But new research—and common sense—suggest that the lowest dose that gets results is best. That often means baby aspirin. The review, published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association, concludes that the safest useful dosages of this OTC medicine are 75 to 81 mg daily or less. “Higher dosages,” write the authors, “do not better prevent events but are associated with increased risks of gastrointestinal bleeding.”

2. Fortified Margarine

Choosing healthy fats and oils is a great step anyone can take to support heart health. These include olive and canola oil, trans-fat-free margarine, and—for those for whom it is a concern—cholesterol-lowering margarine. These fortified products contain plant stanols or sterols that help lower LDL (lousy) cholesterol. While these plant extracts cannot replace prescription drugs, such as statins, that work to reduce unhealthy cholesterol levels, research indicates that their regular consumption is a beneficial addition to drug therapy. Two to three tablespoons of fortified margarine a day may lower LDL cholesterol up to 15 percent in individuals with elevated levels.

Since these spreads are intended for people diagnosed with unhealthy cholesterol, they are not meant for use by the whole family. Enjoy these margarines in the recommended amount if you’re working to reduce your cholesterol. Above all, avoid trans fat and keep saturated fat intake to a minimum (less than 7 percent of total daily calories). If you have high cholesterol or take cholesterol-lowering drugs, aim for less than 200 milligrams of cholesterol from foods every day. Remember to check labels for saturated and trans-fat content, and read ingredient lists carefully.

3. Garlic

Many studies indicate that garlic has a beneficial effect on high blood pressure—the most common form of heart disease in this country, affecting nearly one in four adults. Garlic contains a natural inhibitor of the enzyme that increases blood pressure, blocking it much as some prescription blood pressure drugs known as ACE inhibitors do. Eating garlic regularly lowers total serum cholesterol, decreases platelet clumping, and lowers triglyceride levels. It also helps reduce LDL cholesterol.

Fresh garlic is a healthful addition to any diet, researchers agree, but some people don’t care for raw garlic’s burning taste. Also, the raw vegetable may irritate the digestive tract. If you can’t tolerate eating garlic, consider aged garlic extract (AGE) supplements, aged for up to 20 months to concentrate antioxidant phytochemicals, including garlic’s vital sulfur compounds. AGE supplements may also lower heart attack risk because they reduce platelet clumping in the blood, according to British studies.