How to keep your heart healthy?

Heart disease and stroke are amongst the world's largest killers, together claiming 17.5 million lives each year. But adopting a healthy lifestyle can help you ward off heart diseases.

Saturated fat affects blood cholesterol levels, so try to eat less full-fat dairy products, cakes, cookies, pastries and burgers. Replace these with monosaturated fats such as olive oil.

Reducing salt intake can help reduce blood pressure. The recommended level is 6g a day for an adult.

Make exercise a regular part of your life. Each day, do at least 30 minutes of physical activity that raises your heartbeat. Recommended activities include brisk walking, dancing and sports such as tennis and basketball.

Drink lots of water. At least six glasses a day.

Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables as well as a variety of whole grains.

Too much fat, especially around the abdomen or waist area, increases the risk for heart disease and stroke.

Get your blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels tested regularly. The level of risk for heart disease and stroke is a combination of modifiable and non-modifiable factors, of which high blood pressure is one of the most important.

Maintaining a healthy weight helps you reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Smoking or using other tobacco products is one of the most significant risk factors for developing heart disease. Nicotine in cigarette smoke makes your heart work harder by narrowing your blood vessels and increasing your heart rate and blood pressure.

Sleep for at least 7 hours per night for the better functioning of the heart. A short half an hour nap a day can also be taken.

Stress can lead to emotional, psychological or even physical problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, chest pain etc. In order to cope with stress, you need to follow methods that can be used to relax including yoga; meditation deep breathing and listening favorite music.