“My cholesterol is too high.”

Beans. Soluble fiber—the kind that absorbs water—is good stuff. Add it to your diet, and it will keep you regular, stabilize your blood sugar levels, and lower your cholesterol levels by preventing the absorption of artery-clogging lipids in your intestines. Plus, eating more soluble fiber is an excellent way to reduce blood-serum levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad type).

Oats and beans both are good sources of soluble fiber, says Riska Platt, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association. “But beans are a real powerfood for the heart, and Americans currently aren’t eating enough of them,” she says. “They offer more fiber per serving than oats and also offer lots of healthy antioxidants.”

What’s more, a 2007 study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that eating just a half-cup of cooked dry beans every day helped all participants lower their cholesterol in just three months. In fact, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that people consume at least three cups of beans each week as part of a healthy diet.

Part of beans’ charm is their versatility. “They come in all shapes, colors, and sizes,” Platt says. “You can take beans right out of the can, rinse them well to remove much of the sodium, and add them to soups or salads or even sandwiches.” Plus, they’re an excellent substitute for high-fat animal protein, which most Americans simply get too much of, she says. “I often tell my patients to have a smaller portion of lean chicken or beef, and fill the rest of the plate with beans so they still have a feeling of fullness and don’t miss the meat.”

One caveat: Take it slow. “If you’re not used to eating beans, add them into your diet gradually and drink plenty of water so the fiber can become soluble,” Platt cautions. “If you eat too many, too fast, you can develop intestinal gas. But if you go slowly, your intestinal tract can usually become acclimated to them—no problem.”

By Hillari Dowdle

 
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Celebrate American Heart Month by using this calendar of tips to lower your risk for heart disease. Each year, more than 870,000 Americans die from cardiovascular disease—it’s the leading cause of death among women and men. The good news is that the vast majority of heart disease cases can be prevented with a healthy diet and lifestyle. Each day we’ll reveal a new way you can stay heart healthy—this month and every month. Click on today’s date below, and check back often for updates.

FEBRUARY 2009

Bookmark this page or visit health.com/28days all month long for more tips, recipes, and easy-to-reach, heart-healthy goals.

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Sunday, February 1
Kick-start your heart-healthy lifestyle by eating a hearty bowl of 100% whole-grain oatmeal. A bowl (1½ cups) of Quaker oatmeal provides the recommended 3 grams of oat soluble fiber that has been shown to lower LDL and total cholesterol. Plus, it’s so filling it might just help you drop a few pounds, which can also improve your heart’s health.

Read more:

• 10 Best Foods for Your Heart
• Surprising Uses for Oatmeal
• What is High Cholesterol?

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Although only your doctor can assess which tests are right for you, here are some workups that can help keep tabs on your heart health.

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The American Heart Association has identified several risk factors for heart disease:

• High cholesterol or high blood pressure
• Being overweight

• Smoking
• Lack of exercise
• A family history of the disease

Your risk is low if …none of the above apply to you. Keep up the healthy habits!

You are at-risk if …one or more of the above applies to you. Talk to your doctor about the best lifestyle changes you can make to lower your risk.

Your risk is high if …you’ve had a heart attack, stroke, or heart surgery; or if you have diabetes. Get regular checkups, and call your doctor immediately if you experience chest, jaw, or back pain, or shortness of breath.

 
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Living in a polluted city may harm your heart as much as smoking.

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When he was 10 years old, John O’Connor was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse, a condition that can affect blood flow to and from the left side of the heart. Today, the 23-year-old eats a meat-free diet, exercises regularly, and meditates to lower his stress and keep his heart healthy. But there’s a hidden heart-health risk factor that he says he doesn’t know much about: air pollution.

O’Connor lives in Philadelphia, which ranks No. 11 on the American Lung Association’s list of most polluted U.S. cities in terms of unhealthy levels of ozone. Emerging research suggests that simply breathing the air in big cities like Philly increases O’Connor’s risk of having additional heart problems and potentially compromises his recovery if he had a heart attack.

A September study by Harvard University epidemiologists found that the microscopic particles in polluted air can decrease the heart’s electrical functioning in people with serious coronary artery disease. Avoiding air pollution can reduce the risk of heart attack, heart failure, and other complications, especially in patients who are recovering after being hospitalized, according to Diane R. Gold, MD, the study’s senior author and an associate professor of medicine and environmental health at Harvard.

In fact, air pollution plays a major role in the heart’s health. Smoking is a well-documented culprit in heart disease, but a 2003 study by New York University researchers found that a nonsmoker living in a polluted city has about the same risk of dying of heart disease as a former smoker.

Next page: Reasons to avoid traffic

Many diet and lifestyle changes can improve your blood pressure. Some are tried and true, and others are new—and delicious! These steps can help—whether you’re healthy or already on blood pressure medication. View the slideshow.

Simple food choices go a long way when it comes to your heart’s health. Focusing on fresh foods full of heart-healthy fats and antioxidants can greatly decrease your risk of developing heart disease. And studies show that a Mediterranean diet—think fish, whole grains, and olive oil—can cut your risk of having a second heart attack if you have already had one. Packed with omega-3s, fiber, and monounsaturated fats, these 10 foods will help keep your ticker in top shape. View the slideshow.

(PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO)

High blood pressure is truly a silent killer. In fact, a heart attack or stroke may be the first sign that you even have a problem. That’s why it’s so important to get your blood pressure checked every time you go to the doctor—especially if you’re a woman.

About 35 million American women have high blood pressure, and a third of them don’t know it. In part, experts say, the increase comes just because women are living longer and doctors are paying more attention to the problem. But less-benign factors—like the exploding use of anti-inflammatory medicines (which make your body retain salt) and ever-increasing waistlines—may be at play in what the American Heart Association (AHA) calls a rise in uncontrolled hypertension in women.

Fortunately, there are many ways to control your blood pressure, even without medication. And just knowing your numbers is half the battle, says Dan Jones, MD, president of the AHA. But that doesn’t mean fighting high blood pressure is a cinch. Here are the stories of three women whose high blood pressure took them by surprise. Think about them the next time that cuff goes around your arm.

Next page: Ignorance isn’t bliss

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