Don't Smoke! Quitting smoking can greatly reduce your risk of stroke and heart attack!
Exercise Regularly! - Please be sure and consult your physician before beginning any exercise program. After that, try to get regular exercise five days a week.
Eat a Heart Healthy Diet! A diet with a variety of lean meats and fish, plenty of fruits and vegetables, high-fiber grains, beans and legumes is recommended.
Lower your stress! Regular exercise is proven to aid in stress reduction.
Avoid too much caffeine, too much alcohol, and too many stimulants!
Try changing one thing at a time - take baby steps and love your heart!
Activities and Exercise -
Walking - Walking is a good form of aerobic exercise and is an easy way to increase your activity and your health. Aerobic exercise increases your heart rate, increases circulation, and improves your heart strength. Aerobic activity improves oxygen consumption in the body enhancing respiratory and circulatory efficiency. Regular aerobic exercise lowers blood pressure, helps reduce body fat, and also improves blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
Tips for beginning a walking program:
Have a checkup before beginning any exercise program, especially if you have heart problems.
Stretch and warm up your muscles for 5 to 10 minutes before walking. Start your walk with a moderate stroll for about 10 minutes then increase intensity for about 10 minutes. Allow a cool-down period of 5-10 minutes and a nice relaxing stretch after your walk.
Start out with short periods of walking at first - you can break your walk into 10 minute intervals throughout the day and reap the same benefits as if you walked for 30 minutes straight.
Set goals - try to work up to 60 minutes of walking at least five days a week or more. Walk with a friend or a pet for motivation and encouragement.
Challenge yourself when you have reached a goal - Work toward 10,000 steps per day.
Tai Chi -
Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese practice of graceful, slow moving, fluid movements. Those who practice Tai Chi increase their flexibility, balance, joint and tendon strength. The practice has also been shown to decrease stress, blood pressure, and give a general sense of well-being.
Look through your local phone directory for instructors, also check local colleges, and adult education courses. Yoga asanas are a relative of Tai Chi and this may be a good way to find a course also.
When you find an instructor, go try a class, ask other students about their experience, and benefits. Not all Tai Chi instructors or classes are alike, research until you find an instructor and class that are right for you.
Atrial Fibrillation - Atrial refers to the upper parts of the heart, fibrillation refers to an irregular heart rhythm. In a normal beating heart there is a steady rhythm, with atrial fibrillation the normal rhythm between the atria and the lower parts of the heart is disrupted.
The fibrillation (twitching or contraction) of the muscle fibers of the atria is usually caused by an electrical problem in the heart. The ventricles in the lower part of the heart beat fast and without regular rhythm.
Atrial fibrillation can cause stroke, blood clots, heart failure or heart attack.
Symptoms may include:
Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
Feeling out of breath
Feeling weak and tired
A feeling that the heart is twitching, racing
Chest pain
Fainting
Causes may include:
Valve disease of the heart - especially mitral valve
Heart attack
Coronary artery disease
High blood pressure
Lung disease
Hyperthyroidism
Treatments include:
Medication to return the heart to normal rhythm (cardioversion)
Low-voltage electrical shock to bring the normal rhythm of the heart back (electrical cardioversion)
Your doctor may also place you on a regular, maintenance medication after successful cardioversion to control your heart rate and prevent stroke.
What you can do for a Healthy Heart - 
