Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death among Americans. By making healthy diet and lifestyle decisions, it may be possible to lower risk and even avoid cardiovascular disease altogether. A recent study indicates that drinking coffee could even be good for your heart!

Researchers discovered through a long-term study that those who consumed coffee in the morning had lower mortality risk than those who consumed coffee throughout their day. Although the exact reasons are still unknown, one theory suggests that early coffee drinkers tend to practice healthier overall lifestyle habits than those who consume their cup throughout their day; another possibility suggests disrupting one’s circadian rhythm could have an adverse impact on blood pressure and cardiovascular risk factors.

Although this study is interesting, its conclusions cannot be drawn as definitive as it only illustrates an association between caffeine consumption and heart health benefits. Because many factors, including sleep patterns and lifestyle can affect observational studies’ outcomes – we must monitor any possible benefits of caffeine-containing beverages such as soft drinks, candy, jams/jellies/syrup/pastry as well as some ready-to-eat breakfast cereals to assess any possible impacts to heart health.

Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight range to benefit both your heart and overall wellbeing. Regular physical activity will reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels as well as stress and obesity risks that can threaten its wellbeing, all which will ultimately protect and preserve its integrity.

An important part of maintaining a heart-healthy diet is making sure to get sufficient fiber and protein from whole food sources, like fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, low-fat milk and yogurt. Eating these nutritious sources is an easy way to ensure adequate intake.

Avoid processed meats and high-fat dairy, which can increase your risk of heart disease. Instead, choose lean meats, fish and eggs along with dairy products like yogurt fortified with calcium for best results.

If you enjoy the taste of coffee but are concerned about its effect on your heart, decaffeinated options could be better suited for you. Recent research indicates that decaf did not reduce risk of heart failure among those already diagnosed with cardiovascular conditions; however it did increase risks among people without heart issues.