• Reduce sugar and processed carbs in the diet.
• Stop worrying about fat, including saturated fat. Two major meta-analyses in the last few years have established that saturated fat does not cause heart disease. However, the combination of sugar and fat is a very bad one.
• Do an oil change! Reduce your intake of vegetable oils and increase your intake of omega-3’s, especially fish oil. The balance between omega-6 (vegetable oil) and omega-3 (fish oil) is one of the most important metrics for human health, and the ideal ratio of these two types of fat in the diet is 1:1. Research shows we consume over than 16 times more (inflammatory) omega-6s than (anti-inflammatory) omega-3s.
• Learn to manage stress. Stress contributes to every disease known to man (including heart disease) and is a tremendous risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
• Get some sun and spend some time outdoors.
• Eat an anti-inflammatory diet. Cholesterol does not cause heart disease, but inflammation does. Foods rich in anti-inflammatories include virtually all vegetables as well as some low-sugar fruits like apples and berries. And new research shows the citrus, Bergamot, to be a powerful balancing agent for the critical Triglyceride: HDL radio as well as the lipid profile.
• Supplement wisely. My top recommendations include fish oil, magnesium, vitamin D, and for those with existing heart issues, D-ribose and L-carnitine.
• I particularly like two supplements that have wide ranging, systemic effects on the body—curcumin and resveratrol, both of which are in my personal daily regimen. While not usually thought of as a specific “heart” supplement, resveratrol does many important things that impact heart health—it thins the blood, acts as an antioxidant, is anti-inflammatory, and turns on the SIRT genes (for longevity). Recent research shows it also improves memory and glucose metabolism. NOTE WELL: The active ingredient in resveratrol is trans-resveratrol, and this is the only part of resveratrol that really matters. As far as I know, Reserveage Nutrition is the only company that makes a 100 percent trans-resveratrol supplement, in doses that are clinically relevant (250 mg and 500 mg).
• Do some kind of exercise every day. For basic heart health and protection, it’s hard to beat a daily walk.
• Cultivate nourishing relationships (and not just Facebook “friends”). Friendships, connections, and social usefulness have enormously beneficial effects on both the heart and on health in general.

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