Last updated: December 12, 2024

Overview

Heart disease happens when the heart or blood vessels don’t work as they should. Eating well and being physically active can help keep your heart strong and your blood vessels healthy. Learn how to improve heart function, prevent heart disease and stroke, or manage an existing heart condition.

Eating for Heart Health

Prevention

Eating well helps protect the heart and blood vessels. Explore the pages below for recommendations on a heart healthy diet:

• Healthy eating: Eating heart-healthy foods
• Plant-based diet guidelines 
• Modify recipes for a heart-healthy diet 
• Healthy eating (Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada)

High Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in your blood. Having high cholesterol can block blood vessels over time and lead to heart attack or stroke. Learn about dietary changes to lower cholesterol:

• Heart healthy eating for people with high cholesterol (HealthLinkBC File #68a)
• High cholesterol: How a dietitian can help
• Heart-healthy eating: Fish and fish oil

High blood pressure (hypertension)

Having high blood pressure means that blood is pushing too hard against blood vessel walls. This can damage your vessels over time and increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. Find out how you can help prevent or manage high blood pressure with healthy eating:

• Healthy eating to lower high blood pressure (HealthLinkBC File #68b) 
• High blood pressure: Using the DASH diet
• DASH diet sample menu
• Healthy eating guidelines for lower sodium eating 
• Food sources of sodium

Heart failure

Heart failure is when your heart isn’t pumping as well as it should. Some people with heart failure need to restrict both their sodium and fluid intake. Learn more:

• Heart failure: Eating a healthy diet
• Heart Failure: Track Your weight, food and sodium

Artrial fibrilation

Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat that can increase the risk of blood clots.  Warfarin is a medication used to prevent and treat blood clots. If you take warfarin, also known as Coumadin®, there are certain foods and beverages to pay attention to. Find out how to plan your diet when taking warfarin:

• Healthy eating guidelines for people taking warfarin anticoagulants (Coumadin®)
• Food sources of vitamin K
• Warfarin and vitamin K

Physical activity for heart health

Being physically active on a regular basis benefits the health of your heart and blood vessels. Learn about the benefits and about being active with certain heart conditions. Speak with a health care provider or a qualified exercise professional to get personalized guidance on being active with a heart or other medical condition.

• Physical activity helps prevent heart attack and stroke
• Heart health: Walking for a healthy heart
• Coronary artery disease: Exercising for a healthy heart
• Heart arrhythmias and exercise
• Cardiac rehabilitation
• Peripheral arterial disease and exercise
• Active For Health: Persons with cardiovascular conditions

Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada

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Hypertension Canada 

Offers information and educational videos about hypertension and how to manage it.

Self-Management BC 

Find free health programs for adults who are living with one or more chronic conditions such as heart disease.