Healthy heart, healthy you!

It’s no secret that avoiding heart disease adds years to your life—but it also adds life to your years.

- Melissa Gotthardt

Studies show that people with healthy hearts are up to 45% less likely to suffer from depression and dementia. Plus, new findings published in the journal Scientific Reports reveal that steering clear of heart disease optimizes blood flow to the ears, slashing the odds of hearing loss by 55%! Here, the easy ways to keep your ticker in tip-top shape

Munch on a McIntosh apple

Or bite into a Bartlett pear. A New England Journal of Medicine study found that people who ate at least one serving of apples or pears daily were 40% less likely to have heart disease than those who rarely ate the fruits. The fiber, folate and phytochemicals clear arteries and curb inflammation that contributes to heart disease. Prefer berries? Blueberries and strawberries’ anthocyanins keep arteries that feed the heart supple. In a Harvard study, women who ate three or more servings weekly cut their risk of heart trouble by 34%.

Try an ancient breathing trick