OK, big boy. This month is American Heart Month. So, now that the Super Bowl is over, it is time put the bacon-wrapped sausage down and start focusing on making your heart healthier. The fact is that one in three people between the ages of 20 and 74 in the United States are overweight or obese - which amounts to about 58 million people. So, chances are pretty good that you are one of them. But, even if you aren’t overweight, you may not be doing enough to keep your heart healthy. Remember, even skinny guys can have bum tickers. Since this is American Heart Month, there is no better time than now for you to start taking some extra steps toward taking better care of your heart.
Having Your Cholesterol Tested
One of the first steps you can take toward improving your heart health is to get your cholesterol tested. The American Heart Association recommends getting this done at least once every five years. Yes, this does mean blood will be drawn from your arm. Don’t be a princess. Head to your doc and get that blood drawn so you can find out how much trouble your heart is really in.
Before you head in to get your blood drawn, however, you will have to fast for 12 hours. This means no food or liquids - not even beer. If you gave in and snarf down some of your favorite snacks, your readings will be unreliable and you will have gone through all of this hassle for nothing. So, don’t visit mom beforehand. You know she will force you to sit down and eat something if you do.
When you get the results from your cholesterol test, you might not be able to make much sense out of the information. In short, you want your total blood cholesterol level to be below 200 mg/dL. If your levels fall between 200 and 239 mg/dL, your doc will need to break your cholesterol reading down even further. Basically, your doctor needs to know how much HDL and LDL cholesterol you have. LDL is the “bad” cholesterol that you don’t want to have, while HDL is considered to be “good” cholesterol. If you have a high HDL cholesterol level, you might not be as bad off as it seemed at first. If your cholesterol level is higher than 240 mg/dL, you are probably in trouble regardless of your HDL and LDL cholesterol levels.
Regardless of your levels, you still need to make certain to make good lifestyle and health choices if you want to keep your heart healthy.
Getting Some Exercise
One of the most important things you can do to keep your heart healthy is to get up and get moving. Let’s 
face it, the obesity problem in our country is largely due to lack of exercise. Technology has made it too easy to just sit around and most people are desk jockeys who don’t get much physical activity at work. That means you need to make a conscious effort to get more exercise in your life.
If you currently aren’t doing a whole lot, you should work up to getting 30 minutes of cardio exercise four days per week. If you need to drop some pounds, however, you will need to get up to 1 hour per day if you want to shed some weight.
The good news is that you don’t have to hop on a treadmill for an hour a day in order to get your exercise. Hanging out and playing some street b-ball with the guys can get your heart pumping. Or, go for a swim, hit the slopes, go on a hike or do anything else you enjoy. The idea is to get off your ass and get moving.
Improving Your Diet
We’re all fans of bacon and processed meats, but the reality is that eating too much of these foods will clog up your arteries and lead to a whole host of health problems. The cold, harsh reality is that anything made from animals contains high levels of cholesterols. This includes many of your favorite foods, including meat, shellfish, poultry, cheese, butter and eggs. Even whole milk and 2% milk can lead to increased cholesterol levels. This doesn’t mean you have to cut out all of your favorite foods, but pay a little more attention to what you are putting in your mouth and use a little restraint.
Anything with trans fats and saturated fats will also cause your body to produce more cholesterol, so check out those food labels and try not to eat a whole bag of chips or a whole box of cookies in one sitting. In all, your fat consumption should be somewhere between 25-35%. Saturated fats should be less than 7% of what you eat and trans fats should account for less than 1% of your daily intake. Similarly, your sodium intake should be less than 2,300 mg per day.
To improve your diet, try replacing some of those processed meats with lean meats and poultry. You should also try to get more fish in your diet and should replace your whole milk with 1% or fat-free milk instead. Of course, fruits and veggies are good for you too. Try snacking on those instead of all of those cookies and chips.
Making Lifestyle Changes
It should go without saying, but smoking will also increase your cholesterol and put you at a higher risk for 
heart disease and other heart-related problems. Put out the cigarette and give your heart and lungs a break. If you are having problems with quitting, talk to your doctor about the various options out there. There is bound to be something out there that will help you put the cigarettes out for good.
Sure, leading a healthier lifestyle doesn’t always sound so fun. But, no one is saying you have to go on a vegetarian diet and exercise for 5 hours each night. Just make a few simple changes to what you eat and get off the couch now and again - your heart will thank you.
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