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Fittest Loser Tip of the Week: Keeping your heart healthy

Take time to think about your heart and keeping it healthy. Conditions that can increase your chances of heart disease include high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Cigarette smoking, tobacco, poor diet, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol consumption can also adversely affect your heart health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a few simple preventive measures to help ward off heart problems.

Eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables every day

Reduce consumption of foods high in fat, cholesterol and salt

Maintain a healthy weight

Include at least 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise in your daily routine

Monitor your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and if you have diabetes, manage it as recommended by your doctor

Don't start smoking, or if you already smoke, consider quitting

Recognize the signs of a heart attack, and call 911 immediately

When you know the risks of heart disease and symptoms of a heart attack, you can help protect your heart.

Look out for more weekly wellness tips from Assurance, a proud sponsor of the Fittest Loser.

• Jill Micklow is a Wellness Consultant on the Employee Benefits team at Assurance, a Top 50 U.S. insurance brokerage headquartered in Schaumburg, IL. She brings Assurance's passion for "minimizing risk and maximizing health" to clients nationwide by helping identify specific health and wellness goals and then tailoring wellness programs for short and long-term success.

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