如何保持心脏健康？

每年2月，我的好朋友和学员斯塔尔•琼斯都会提醒我心脏健康的重要性。自从2010年接受了开心手术，她便一直热心于心脏健康事业，也是健康生活承诺计划的领导者。她在术后的心脏康复计划包括“低于最大强度”的锻炼，每组只有9分钟，中间休息1分钟。现在，她参加的是45分钟的高强度SoulCycle课程。她给我带来了真正的启发。她的转变让我思考：我们如何使心脏健康保持最高水平？

有些事情是无法改变的，如你的年龄、性别和家族病史等。但许多因素是完全可控的。美国心脏协会（American Heart Association）的“珍爱女人心”（Go Red for Women）活动列出了能够降低心脏病风险的7个可控因素。

胆固醇水平。注意油炸食品、饱和脂肪与油脂和高脂肪动物制品的摄入。抗氧化剂、欧米伽3脂肪酸（鳄梨！）和全谷类食品可以降低胆固醇。

血压。平衡低钠饮食，减少饮酒，经常锻炼。

活动水平。保证每周五天每天至少运动30分钟。

体重。知道自己的体重——计算体重指数，确定是否超重。如果需要减肥，美国心脏协会网站上还提供了一些有关减肥的建议。

吸烟的习惯。吸烟者患冠心病、血栓和各种其他疾病的风险更高，因此并不值得为此冒险。我相信，你可以成功戒烟。

血糖。尽量避免糖果和苏打水，保持经常锻炼的习惯。糖尿病人应该遵照医生给出的控制糖尿病病情的建议。

饮食。提前计划平衡饮食，记录饮食日记，跟踪饮食习惯。在两餐之间可以补充健康的零食——我强烈支持在冰箱里存放一些切好的水果和素食。

看完上面的内容，你肯定有许多事情需要思考，而且我知道，要一次性解决所有问题，会让你有些手足无措。我只是希望你在今天关注你自己。如果对这些话题感兴趣，可以访问美国心脏协会的网站——其中免费提供了大量高质量的信息，肯定会给你留下深刻印象。最重要的是，如果担心自己的心脏健康可能出现了问题，请尽快咨询医生。（财富中文网）

本文作者史黛西•格里菲斯是SoulCycle的资深教练，她的新书《Two Turns From Zero》即将出版。史黛西把激励型的教练风格，与对舞蹈的热情、运动精神和令人兴奋的音乐相结合，融入到她富有节奏的声音当中。关注她的Twitter、Facebook和Instagram账号。

译者：刘进龙/汪皓

I am reminded of the importance of heart health every February by my dear friend and student Star Jones. She has been a heart health devotee and a leader in her commitment to healthy living ever since having open heart surgery in 2010. After her surgery, her cardio rehab program consisted of “sub-max” exercises, performed for only 9 minutes at a time with 1-minute breaks in between. Now, she powers through intense 45-minute SoulCycle classes. She’s a true inspiration. Her transformation has made me wonder: What can we all do to stay on top of our heart health?

Some things — your age, your gender and your family history — can’t be changed. But many factors are in your control. The American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement outlines 7 factors within your control that can reduce your risk for heart disease.

Your cholesterol levels. Watch your intake of fried foods, saturated fats and oils and high-fat animal products. Antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids (avocado!) and whole grains can help lower your cholesterol.

Your blood pressure. Eat a well-balanced, low-sodium diet, limit alcohol and exercise regularly.

Your activity levels. Make sure you are moving at least 30 minutes each day, five days a week.

Your weight. Know your numbers — calculate your BMI to determine if you’re overweight. If you do need to lose some weight, the American Heart Association website also offers advice on how to do so.

Your smoking habit. People who smoke cigarettes are at a higher risk of coronary heart disease, blood clots and all sorts of other problems that aren’t worth it. You can quit. I know you can.

Your blood sugar. Avoid candy and soda as much as possible, and maintain a regular exercise routine. If you’re diabetic, follow your doctor’s recommendations for keeping your diabetes in control.

Your diet. Plan balanced meals ahead of time and keep a food diary to track your habits. Between meals, snack healthy — I’m a big proponent of stocking the fridge with pre-cut fruits and veggies.

That’s a lot to think about, and I know it can get a little overwhelming when you try to tackle everything at once. I just ask you to touch base with yourself today. If you’re curious about any of these topics, visit the American Heart Association website — I think you’ll be blown away by the quality and quantity of information you can access for free. And most importantly, if you’re worried that your heart health may have gotten off track, consult your physician right away.

Stacey Griffith is a senior master instructor at SoulCycle and the author of the upcoming book Two Turns From Zero. Stacey’s motivational coaching style combines a passion for dance, athleticism and mind-blowing music—all set to the beat of her voice. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.