From the American Heart Association

A healthy diet and lifestyle are the best weapons you have to fight cardiovascular disease. It's not as hard as you may think! Remember, it is the overall pattern of the choices you make that counts.

• Know how many calories you should be eating and drinking to maintain your weight. Don't eat more calories than you know you can burn up every day.
• Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, which are high in vitamins, minerals and fiber. They may help you control your weight and your blood pressure.
• Unrefined whole-grain foods contain fiber that can help lower your blood cholesterol and help you feel full, which may help you manage your weight.
• Choose lean meats and poultry without skin and prepare them without added saturated and trans fat.
• Cut back on foods high in dietary cholesterol. Aim to eat less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol each day.
• Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt. Aim to eat less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day.
• Cut back on foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to reduce trans fat in your diet.
• Select fat-free, 1% fat, and low-fat dairy products.
• Eat fish at least twice a week. Recent research shows that eating oily fish containing omega-3 fatty acids (for example, salmon, trout and herring) may help lower your risk of death from coronary artery disease.
• Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week. If you are trying to lose weight, aim for 30 to 60 minutes on most days. Regular physical activity can help you improve your blood pressure and blood sugar levels and reduce your risk for chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, depression, and breast and colon cancer.