Week 5: Feed Your Heart

This week, do these things to grow younger:

1. Fill Up On Foods Your Heart Loves

Your taste buds will love them, too. Add these to your life:

• Strawberries -- and just about any other colorful fruit or veggie you can find. They’re bursting with flavonoids, antioxidants that help quell inflammation, a process involved in heart disease.
• Rye bread -- and any other product made from 100% whole grains (including other breads, cereals, brown rice, quinoa, flaxseeds, and whole soybeans). These are full of heart-protective fiber and magnesium.
• Avocado -- and other healthy vegetable-based fats. Use mashed avocado, olive oil, and nut butters in place of unhealthful fats. These are delicious ways to bring down “bad” LDL cholesterol and boost the “good” HDL kind. Just limit portion size as you would with any other oils or fats.
• Salmon -- and other fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Find the top five low-mercury, heart-healthy fish.
• Nuts -- eating them regularly can cut your risk of heart disease by 20% to 60%.
• Dark chocolate -- find out why dark chocolate is such a heart-smart treat.

2. Time-Crunched? Break Up Your Walk

Slice it into three 10-minute sessions; you’ll still get the health benefits. Don’t have 10 minutes? Then you have a time-management problem, not a workout problem.

Spend 10 minutes today prioritizing what really needs to get done and delegating or deleting what doesn’t. And check out these creative ways to fit more walking in. Then, put your shoes on and get out there.

Bonus Moves for Overachievers

• Monday: Supplement! Make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need; use supplements for those it’s simply hard to get enough of. Here’s what you need.
• Wednesday: Resist. Add resistance (strength) training to your routine. Do it just three times a week, 20 minutes a session. Try a no-equipment workout, or use weights or tubing.
• Friday: Party! Or just hang out at home with a friend to get the vitamin F you need. What’s that? Find out why it’s so essential.