The human heart beats 100,000 times per day. It is an amazing organ that works hard in order to keep you alive. However, you will have to do your part in order to keep your cardiovascular system healthy. Following a healthy diet is one of the things that you can do to maintain a healthy heart, featuring the following foods:

1. Leafy green vegetables

Collard greens, kale and spinach are some examples of green vegetables. Vitamin K is a nutrient that is found in leafy green vegetables. Vitamin K helps protect your blood vessels. Green vegetables also have nitrates in them. The nitrates can help lower your blood pressure and protect your heart. Studies have shown that people who eat plenty of greens can lower their blood pressure.

2. Berries

There are several ways that you can enjoy berries. You can add them to your smoothies and salads. They also make a great snack. They are great for your heart because they are packed with antioxidants. Strawberries, raspberries and blueberries can lower your cholesterol. In fact, studies have shown that they can lower your cholesterol by 11 percent. High cholesterol can make you more susceptible to developing heart disease.

3. Whole grains

Contrary to popular belief, all grains are not bad. The type of grains that you eat is important. You should select whole grains over refined grains. One of the reasons that these grains are good for you is because they are a great source of fiber. The fiber can reduce your cholesterol. There was one study that involved people who ate three servings of grains per week. The results of the study showed that these people were able to reduce their risk of heart disease by 22 percent.

4. Avocados

Avocados make a nice treat. You can add one to your sandwich or salad. You can also eat a full avocado every day. An avocado a day can help lower your cholesterol level. One of the nutrients that is an avocado is potassium. You need to get sufficient amounts of potassium in order to control your blood pressure. One avocado will provide you with about 28 percent of the potassium that your body requires for the day.

5. Walnuts

High blood pressure puts a strain on your heart. People who have high blood pressure are also more likely to develop high blood pressure. Walnuts can help reduce your blood pressure. They can also reduce bad cholesterol.

You don’t need to eat a lot of the nuts in order to benefit. In fact, you only need about a handful of the nuts per day.

6. Fatty fish and fish oil

Omega 3 fatty acids are found in fish. The omega 3 fatty acids can lower your triglycerides, blood pressure and cholesterol. They may also lower your risk of diabetes. Type 2 diabetics are also at a higher risk for heart disease. If you don’t like fish, then you can take fish oil supplements.