A heart healthy diet begins by paying close attention to what you eat. You can reduce your chance of developing atherosclerosis, the blocked arteries that cause heart disease with a heart healthy diet. If the artery-clogging process has already begun, you can slow the rate at which it progresses.

While this is very important for everyone at risk for atherosclerosis, it is even more important if you have had a heart attack or procedure to restore blood flow to your heart or other areas of your body, such as angioplasty, bypass surgery or carotid surgery. Adopting a heart-healthy nutrition strategy can help reduce total and LDL cholesterol, which is the bad cholesterol, lower blood pressure, lower blood sugars, and reduce body weight. Below are top nutrition strategies to reduce your risk:

• Eat more fish, which is a good source of protein and other nutrients. It also contains omega-3 fatty acids, which may help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

• Eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes as one of the most powerful strategies in fighting heart disease.

• Choose fat calories wisely.

• Limit your total fat grams.

• Reduce your intake of saturated fats and trans fats including fats found in butter, margarine, salad dressing, fried foods, snack foods, sweets, and desserts.

• When you use added fat, use fats high in monounsaturated fats, such as fats found in olive and peanut oil.

• Eat a variety and a good amount of protein foods by balancing animal, fish, and vegetable sources of protein.

• Limit cholesterol consumption. Get energy by eating complex carbohydrates such as whole-wheat pasta, sweet potatoes, whole-grain breads and limit simple carbohydrates (regular soft drinks, sugar, sweets). If you have high cholesterol, these simple carbohydrates exacerbate the condition and may increase your risk for heart disease.

• Feed your body regularly by not skipping meals as this often leads to overeating. Eating five to six mini-meals is the best way to control blood sugars, burn fat calories more efficiently, and regulate cholesterol levels.

• Reduce salt intake. This will help you control your blood pressure.

• Take part in exercise activities. Exercise strengthens the heart muscle, improves blood flow, reduces high blood pressure, raises HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol), and helps control blood sugars and body weight.

• Water is vital to life. Be sure to drink plenty of it.