Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. It is responsible for 1 out of 4 deaths every year. As many as one-third of deaths from heart disease could be prevented if people were to make healthy diet choices and engage in regular physical activity. Follow these tips to help keep your heaty healthy and live a longer life.

Follow the Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet is a lot more than Greek food.

• It works as well or as better than, many of the medicines we use and it's tastier, too!

• And, best of all, it may reduce your risk of having a heart attack by as much as 50%.

Choose whole grains

Whole grains:

• Contain the entire grain.

• Have essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

• Help you feel full and help with digestion.

To reduce your risk or heart disease, eat whole grains (4 or more servings/day) instead of processed, refined grains.

This can help decrease the risk of dying from heart disease as much as 50%.

Eat vegetable & fruits

Vegetables and fruits are good for you! Over time, your risk of heart disease goes down almost 5% for EACH serving you eat/day. Aim for at least 5 servings/day.

Skip the sugar

Eating too much sugar can increase your risk of dying from heart disease.

On average, adults in the U.S. consume the equivalent of 88 grams of sugar/day (22 teaspoons). Much of this is from sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets.

• Drink water instead of soda.

• Enjoy a piece of fruit for dessert instead of cake or candy.

• Read nutrition labels; avoid foods and drinks that list sugar as a main ingredient. For good heart health, limit sugar from food to the equivalent of less than: 24 grams/day for women (6 tsp); 36 grams/day for men (9 tsp)

Eat healthy fats

Fats are not all created equal! Good fats, like olive oil, help you feel full and help prevent heart disease. Even as much as a liter of olive oil per week can be part of a heart-healthy diet.

Bad fats, like trans-fats, increase inflammation, clog arteries, and increase risk of heart attack and stroke. Eliminate these fats from your diet.