14 simple lifestyle changes that will protect your heart

Add these small changes to your life for a powerful dose of heart disease prevention.

• Studies suggest that dark chocolate is good for your heart.
• Chemicals in chocolate called flavonoids help arteries stay flexible.
• Just steer clear of milk chocolate, which is high in butterfat and can raise cholesterol.

• If you hear yourself snoring, make an appointment with your doctor.
• You may have sleep apnea, a condition in which your breathing stops hundreds of times throughout the night.
• It can lead to high blood pressure and other medical problems — even increase your risk of a heart attack or stroke.

• A Harvard study found that women who got less than seven hours sleep had a slightly higher risk of heart disease.
• Lack of sleep increases stress hormones, raises blood pressure and affects blood sugar levels. But sleep no more than nine hours.
• The same study found that women sleeping nine or more hours had a slightly increased risk of heart disease.

• Women who ate fish at least once a week were a third less likely to have a heart attack or die of heart disease than those who ate fish only once a month.
• Other studies show similar benefits for men.

• Black or green, it doesn't seem to matter.
• A major analysis of 17 studies on tea drinkers found that 750 millilitres (three cups) a day could slash the risk of a heart attack by 11 per cent.

• It counts as physical activity, which, of course, is good for your heart.
• That may be why University of Bristol researchers found that men who have sex at least twice a week are less likely to have a stroke or other cardiovascular problems than men who have it less often.

Studies find that the anthocyanins (plant chemicals), which give cherries their scarlet colour, also lower levels of uric acid in the blood, a marker for heart attacks and stroke.

Oranges are a great source of vitamin C. Studies suggest that diets high in this vitamin may reduce your risk of stroke, especially if you smoke.

• A study found that women who drank more than five glasses of water a day were half as likely to die from a heart attack as those who drank fewer than two.
• Water works best for hydration when it comes to improving blood flow.

They both have anti-inflammatory properties, and inflammation is a major contributor to heart disease.

American researchers analyzed data on more than 12,000 middle-aged men from the famous Framingham Heart Study and found that those who took regular vacations cut their risk of death from heart disease by a third.

A study found that having a very close relationship with another person, whether it's a friend, lover or relative, can halve the risk of a heart attack for someone who has already had one.

Two major studies found that nearly everyone who dies of heart disease, including heart attacks, had at least one or more of the conventional risk factors, such as smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels.

Not only will a dog force you to be more active (think about all the walks), but the companionship and unconditional affection a dog provides has been shown to reduce the risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.