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My grandfather died of a heart attack on his 60th birthday (months before I was born). Decades later, my grandmother needed a pacemaker. And for as long as I can remember, my dad has kept a close eye on his heart. As a nutrition consultant—and mom of two—those experiences continue to shape how I think about cardiovascular health. But I firmly believe “healthy” doesn’t have to mean extreme, especially when it comes to heart health. Supporting your cardiovascular system is about everyday choices around food, movement, stress, and recovery. The kind of habits that matter more than we realize.
Why Heart Health Matters
Your heart works around the clock, pumping blood, oxygen, and nutrients to every cell in your body. When cardiovascular health is top of mind, everything benefits—energy levels, brain function, hormone balance, and even your mood. If you get a yearly checkup with your PCP, you’ll know two major markers of heart health are blood pressure and cholesterol. Elevated blood pressure increases strain on your arteries, while imbalanced cholesterol levels can contribute to plaque buildup over time. Both are influenced heavily by lifestyle (particularly nutrition, movement, and stress).
What’s important to understand is that heart health isn’t about one isolated habit. It’s about patterns! The goal isn’t to overhaul your life overnight, but to create habits that naturally support lower blood pressure, healthier cholesterol levels, and overall cardiovascular resilience.
Nutrition for Healthy Blood Pressure
When it comes to lowering blood pressure, food is one of the most powerful tools we have. At its core, a heart-healthy diet prioritizes nutrients that help blood vessels relax and balance fluid levels in the body. A few foundational principles:
- Focus on potassium-rich foods. Potassium helps counteract the effects of sodium and supports healthy blood vessel function. Think leafy greens, sweet potatoes, avocado, beans, and bananas.
- Don’t fear sodium. Balance it! Sodium isn’t the villain it’s often made out to be, especially if you’re eating mostly whole foods. The issue tends to be excess sodium from ultra-processed foods paired with low potassium intake.
- Eat enough protein. Protein helps stabilize blood sugar, which indirectly supports blood pressure by lowering stress hormone output. Most women feel best aiming for 25–40 grams per meal.
- Include healthy fats. Omega-3 fatty acids (from fatty fish, flaxseed, chia, and walnuts) help reduce inflammation and support vascular health.
One simple habit I often suggest: build colorful meals around whole foods—protein, fiber, healthy fats—then let everything else be flexible (enjoy the chocolate chip cookie!).
Understanding (The Nuance of) Cholesterol
Cholesterol often gets oversimplified as “good” or “bad,” but it’s more nuanced than that. For starters, your body needs cholesterol to function. It plays a crucial role in hormone production, brain health, and cell membrane formation. Most of the cholesterol in your body is produced by the liver, while dietary cholesterol has a much smaller impact than we once believed. In other words, concerns around cholesterol are usually less about cholesterol itself and more about how it’s being transported in the bloodstream.
LDL vs. HLD Cholesterol
To explain this, LDL carries cholesterol to tissues, while HDL helps move excess cholesterol back to the liver. Many factors (blood sugar balance, stress, etc.) influence how this process functions. Genetics matter, too. Some people are predisposed to higher cholesterol levels regardless of lifestyle, while for others, daily habits play a larger role. This is why conversations around cholesterol have shifted toward overall diet quality and metabolic health.
Foods That Support Cholesterol
Once you understand cholesterol in context, the conversation around food becomes much less stressful! Supporting healthy cholesterol isn’t about cutting everything out or eating “perfectly.” It’s about giving your body the nutrients it needs to do its job well: moving cholesterol efficiently, reducing inflammation, and protecting blood vessels over time. A few foods that consistently support lower cholesterol and better heart health:
Fiber-rich foods
Soluble fiber binds to cholesterol in the digestive tract and helps remove it from the body. Oats, beans, lentils, chia seeds, and vegetables are especially effective. No, fibermaxxing is not necessary for a healthy heart!
Healthy fats over refined carbs
Swapping ultra-refined carbs for fats like olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds can improve cholesterol ratios.
Polyphenol-rich foods
Berries, extra-virgin olive oil, dark chocolate, green tea, and colorful vegetables contain antioxidants that protect blood vessels from oxidative stress.
Fermented foods
To no surprise, emerging research suggests gut health plays a role in cholesterol metabolism. Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi support a diverse microbiome, which may indirectly benefit heart health.
Rather than focusing on what to eliminate, I encourage clients to think about what they can add—more fiber, more color, more minimally-processed food.
Movement Habits for a Strong Heart
Movement for heart health doesn’t have to mean marathon training or daily HIIT classes. In fact, consistency matters more than intensity. For starters, walking is so underrated. Get your steps in! Regular walking improves circulation, lowers blood pressure, and supports cholesterol balance. Even 10–15 minutes (ideally, after meals to support a healthy glucose response) can make a meaningful difference. Additionally, focus on strength training 2-3x/week. Building lean muscle improves insulin sensitivity, supports metabolic health, and reduces cardiovascular risk over time.
Daily Practices to Improve Cardiovascular Health
Beyond food and exercise, your heart responds to how you live day to day. These simple habits often make the biggest impact:
Prioritize sleep. Poor sleep raises blood pressure and disrupts cholesterol metabolism. Aim for consistency over perfection (ideally, more than 7 hours!).
Manage stress intentionally. Chronic stress keeps your nervous system in a heightened state, increasing heart rate and blood pressure. Breathing practices, time outdoors, and regular movement all help regulate this.
Eat mindfully. Slowing down at meals—even taking a few deep breaths before eating—improves digestion and supports blood sugar balance, which directly impacts heart health.
Stay hydrated. Dehydration can increase strain on the cardiovascular system. Water (with electrolytes) matters more than we give it credit for!
Bringing It All Together
Heart health isn’t built in a day, but your daily choices add up. When you focus on nourishing foods, supportive movement, steady routines, and stress regulation, you’re not just protecting your heart—you’re creating a foundation for long-term vitality. The most powerful heart-healthy habits are the ones you can return to again and again. And that’s exactly what makes them work.
