Here Are 8 Ways to Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease—and Some of Them Are Actually Pretty Fun

Quitting smoking and excessive drinking are no-brainers, but lowering your risk also includes taking small steps to improve your health overall. Exercising regularly is a good place to start and getting enough sleep is always a good idea. Doing what you can to limit the amount of stress in your life, while also seeking an occasional thrill. But there are also some other tricks that can help decrease your risk of heart disease as well. And some of them are things you're going to want to do anyway. (Hint: Cue up "Business Time" by Flight of the Conchords.)

Here are 8 heart disease prevention tips to know about.

1. Do household chores

This isn't just a sneaky way to get you to vacuum your rugs and scrub the countertops more often. Past research suggests it only takes moving around for 30 minutes a day—even if you're just sweeping!—to reduce your risk of heart disease by 24 percent. It's a win-win.

2. Switch up your workouts

You might think dynamic activities like running are the best for your heart health, but when it comes to reducing your risk of heart disease, researchers found static activity is best. That means you might want to add strength training into the mix, ASAP—even if it's only 5 minutes.

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3. Have sex

Now I've got your attention. Experts say having sex can increase your heart rate and promote a healthy blood pressure, lowering your risk of heart disease by 40 to 50 percent. Aka all the more reason to race off to the bedroom.

4. Fill your plate with heart-healthy foods

When it comes to foods that give your heart health a boost, there's a lot to choose from. To keep the important organ healthy (and your heart disease risk low!), stock up on omega-3-filled chia seeds and flaxseeds, antioxidant-loaded pomegranates, and cholesterol-helping avocados. Even the occasional glass of wine provides some benefits.

5. Eat some yogurt

It turns out your heart is really into yogurt. One study found eating one to two servings a week could make you 20 percent less likely to develop heart disease down the line.

6. Try the quadruple-threat health combo

In the past, a combo of different heath and wellness practices were linked to a lowered risk of heart disease: a vegetarian diet, meditation, yoga, and massage. So stock your fridge and get your Zen on—it'll do your heart some good.

7. Eat some eggs

Eggs sometimes get a bad rap, but they might provide some benefits when it comes to your heart. In fact, one study found eating an egg a day could lower your risk of developing heart disease.

8. Up your polyphenol intake

Polyphenols are found in fruits, veggies, and drinks like red wine, and past research has found eating a diet rich in them can prevent heart disease. That means loading up on cherries, strawberries, red grapes, artichokes, red onion, and—drumroll, please—a little dark chocolate.

Here's how snoring could put your heart at risk. Or, find out how fish oil might lower your risk of heart attacks.