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The secret to heart health? Moderation.
Maintaining heart health over time is a matter of moderation, not deprivation.
General HealthClinically Speaking
6 min read
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Having a healthy heart doesn’t mean going to extremes. It’s about practicing the art of moderation and balance.
While it’s true that heart health issues like heart attacks, strokes, arrhythmia, and valve problems are often genetically predisposed, your lifestyle also impacts your risk. Regardless of your age, it’s important to implement moderation in your daily routine so you have a healthy heart in the long run.
What is heart disease?
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the term ‘heart disease’ refers to multiple types of heart conditions, including heart attacks, coronary artery disease (blood vessel disease), irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), and coronary artery disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men in the US, responsible for 1 in every 4 male deaths in 2021.
What are the symptoms of heart disease?
Symptoms vary depending on the type of heart disease:
Heart attacks: Chest pain or discomfort, upper back or neck pain, extreme fatigue, dizziness, nausea or vomiting
Coronary artery disease: chest pain or tightness, shortness of breath, pain, numbness or weakness in the legs and arms
Here are some simple lifestyle changes that can help keep your heart healthy.
Limit your salt intake
A little salt is good—in fact, your body needs it. But too much can spike your blood pressure and lead to heart failure. The American Heart Association (opens in new tab) recommends capping your sodium intake at 2300 mg per day, with an ideal limit of 1500 mg. Look at your food labels to see how much salt you consume each day. Frozen meals, condiments, sauces (like soy), and takeout can often be high in sodium, so you’ll want to limit them in your diet. Start cooking your own meals and replace salt with flavorful ingredients like spices, citrus, and olive oil. Once you start cutting back, you’ll miss salt less and less.
Good fats vs Bad fats
Eating a balanced diet can help you promote your overall heart health. Part of maintaining a healthy diet is knowing the difference between good and bad fats. Here’s what to keep in mind:
Good fats come from natural sources like avocados, nuts, and plant-based oils like olive, peanut, and canola. These types of fats can help improve your digestion, hair, skin, and energy levels.
Bad fats often come from processed or red meats and high-fat dairy products. While red meat can provide your body with essential nutrients like iron and protein, it can spike your cholesterol level and lead to a heart attack. Consider reducing your consumption of red meat to once a week, and exercise portion control.
Trans fats come from hydrogenated oils and are often found in processed foods, packaged baked goods, pre-made dough, margarine, fried foods, and snacks. If you can’t pronounce them, then your snack is probably full of trans fats.
While sugar isn't ‘fat’, added-sugar does contribute to fat-building and may increase heart disease risk, specifically when found in processed foods and drinks. The American Heart Association recommends men limit daily added sugars (opens in new tab) to no more than 150 calories (or 9 teaspoons), and women limit added sugars to no more than 100 calories (or 6 teaspoons) per day. To put this in perspective, a 12 ounce can of regular soda has 130 calories and 8 teaspoons of sugar. Try swapping out soda for 100% juice with no added sugars, and incorporate more fruit into your diet.
Alcohol and your heart
The CDC (opens in new tab) considers excessive alcohol consumption as a factor in developing chronic diseases, like heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. Excessive drinking includes binge drinking (5+ drinks in one setting for men, 4+ for women) or heavy drinking, (15+ drinks per week for men, and 8+ drinks for women). If you choose to drink, alcohol in moderation is key, says the American Heart Association: for men that means 2 drinks or less per day, and 1 drink or less per day for women.
Heart health aside, alcohol use has been tied to certain types of cancer and chronic conditions, and the more you drink, the more likely your risk of developing one. If you’re unsure how your alcohol consumption habits affect your heart health, ask your doctor during your annual exam (opens in new tab).
It is important to manage your stress and anxiety (opens in new tab) levels, even if you’re generally healthy. Panic attacks are commonly misidentified as heart attacks by many patients at the ER. While symptoms can feel similar (fluttering in chest, shortness of breath, faintness, confusion), these are two very different conditions. Still, stress can increase your risk of heart attack, so you’ll want to maintain peace of mind to have a healthy heart.
Make self-care and relaxation a part of your daily routine to reduce stress and anxiety levels. Meditation and yoga are great ways to calm your mind after a long day. Tips from our medical team to improve your mental health (opens in new tab) and your heart health, while reducing stress and anxiety include:
Simple breathing techniques: Sitting up straight or lying down on the floor, inhale deeply and allow your belly to expand. Count to five as you exhale slowly. Repeat a few times.
Go outside for at least 15 minutes a day: Breathe fresh air, go for a walk around the block, and try to get your heart rate up.
Get together with friends and family: It’s good to express how you’re feeling to people you trust. Connect with loved ones on a regular basis — even if it’s by video chat. Maybe even start a game night or book club.
Exercise and your heart
We know it can be hard to find time to exercise when you’ve got a lot on your plate, but staying active is one of the best ways you can prevent heart disease. Exercising for a healthy heart doesn’t require training for a marathon, but it does require some dedication and a consistent routine. The best routine for you depends on your personal health history.
Oscar Primary Care
For support in boosting your heart health, schedule an annual physical with your primary care provider. Your provider can help you determine your level of risk for heart disease and suggest lifestyle modifications you can make to maintain a healthy heart. If you need help finding a doctor or want to review what’s covered by your plan, call your Oscar Care team. They can help you compile a list of questions to ask your doctor and avoid common mistakes. Give us a call at 855-672-2755, or message us in the Oscar app (opens in new tab).
*For 2025, Oscar Primary Care is available in TX (excluding non-elite EPO Bronze plans), NY (excluding Standard Silver, Standard Bronze, and Secure plans), FL (excluding HSA and Secure plans), AZ (excluding Secure plans), GA (excluding HSA and Secure plans), OK (excluding Secure plans). Oscar Primary Care providers are employed by Oscar Medical Group, not Oscar Insurance Company or its insurance plan affiliates. Oscar Primary Care is only available to members 18 years of age and older. Prescriptions, visits and services may be limited at the provider’s discretion and Oscar Primary Care is not intended to be used in conjunction with another primary care consultation. Oscar Care in-person visits in conjunction with your virtual visit may have a copayment. Due to medical licensing laws, you must be in your home state at the time of your virtual visit. On HMO plans in GA and TX, and on EPO plans in Northern and Central FL markets there may be a cost share associated with your visit. Please view plan details here (opens in new tab) for more detailed information.
