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4 Ways to Make Your Heart Stronger

February 13, 2025

Your heart works hard —  beating about 100,000 times a day and pumping 2,000 gallons of blood. But are you giving it the support it needs?

Whether your hearts in top shape or you’re managing a cardiac condition, there’s always something you can do to keep it stronger.

We asked an expert for advice on where to start.

1. Move more.

Looking for a simple, powerful way to boost your heart health? Get moving.

“When it comes to heart health, exercise is the one thing I wish more people took seriously,” says Heather Swales, MD, cardiologist with Hartford HealthCare Heart & Vascular Institute. “It’s the best medicine we have. We probably all should be moving more.”

If you’re starting from zero, set a modest goal that will guarantee success — like walking for 10 minutes each day. As your confidence grows, stretch your goal too. For example, with each week, increase your daily walk by another 5 minutes.

Eventually, per week, aim for:

• 150 minutes of aerobic exercise (ex. walking, jogging, cycling)
• 2 days of resistance training (ex. pushups, weightlifting)

> Related: 5 Signs You Have a Healthy Heart

2. Eat more plants.

Cholesterol — a key indicator of heart health — is found only in animal products like meat, dairy and eggs. Another heart-health culprit, saturated fat, is more common in animal-based foods than plant-based ones.

The takeaway? A heart-healthy diet starts with more plant-based foods. By filling your diet with plants, you’ll naturally cut back on cholesterol and saturated fat, while boosting protective nutrients like fiber and antioxidants.

Some plant-based foods to incorporate into your diet include:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Whole grains
• Legumes
• Nuts
• Seeds

“Start small, with a clear goal,” says Dr. Swales. “For example, add an extra piece of fruit or vegetable per day.”

> Related: Best Foods for Heart Health

3. Quit tobacco.

Tobacco forces your heart to work harder by reducing the oxygen in your blood and increasing the amount of plaque in your arteries. But much of this damage can be reversed.

Consider this: Smokers are up to four times more likely to develop heart disease than non-smokers. Within just a year of stopping, though, they cut that risk in half.

“Quitting tobacco is one of the most impactful steps you can take to protect your heart,” says Dr. Swales.

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4. Partner with your healthcare provider.

When you want to strengthen your tennis game, you go to a tennis coach. When you want to strengthen your heart, you go to your health provider.

A health expert can help you with:

• Scans and tests to measure your current heart health
• A personalized plan to strengthen your heart
• Access to heart medications, if needed, and help taking them properly
• Connecting you with other specialists, like substance use treatment to quit smoking

Start with your primary care provider: They’ll offer general advice and know if you actually need a heart specialist. If you’re living with a heart issue or have certain risk factors, you’ll likely need a cardiologist to keep track of you too.

“You should be working with your healthcare provider to make sure all of your risk factors are well-controlled,” says Dr. Swales.