Fight inflammation for a healthy heart
Aug. 17, 2026—When it comes to staying heart-healthy, lowering inflammation in your body is a strategy you might not have considered. But, according to the American Heart Association (AHA), it might be time to start.
Inflammation and your heart
Inflammation is part of your body's healing response to an injury or an illness. It's often sudden and temporary, such as when you have a splinter and the skin turns sore.
But inflammation throughout the body can also be chronic. You can't feel this low-grade inflammation, but over time, it has the potential to increase your risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke, the AHA reports.
Exactly how inflammation may harm the heart and the brain is still being studied. But experts know that, for example, inflammation plays a key role in atherosclerosis, when arteries in the heart and elsewhere become blocked by fatty deposits of plaque. Atherosclerosis can both cause and be worsened by inflammation.
In fact, inflammation may cause plaque inside arteries to break open, or rupture, and trigger a heart attack or a stroke, according to the AHA.
Fighting inflammation with healthy living
Some lifestyle changes may help prevent chronic inflammation. It turns out they're some of the same habits that can help keep your heart and blood vessels healthy, including:
Getting enough sleep. Aim for at least seven to nine hours a night.
Doing your best to manage stress. When you're stressed, the hormones your body makes, such as cortisol, can fuel inflammation. Try doing things that help you feel calm, whether that's listening to music or practicing relaxing meditation.
Adopting a heart-smart diet that also lowers inflammation. You might try the DASH diet or a heart-healthy Mediterranean-style diet that includes whole grains, vegetables and fruit; legumes and nuts; fish with omega-3 fats; olive oil; and dairy products. Red meats, processed and salty foods, and drinks high in added sugar are linked to inflammation, warns the AHA.
Discover more heart-healthy eating tips.
Getting a move on. Regular exercise helps counter inflammation. One way it does that is by helping you avoid excess body fat, which releases chemicals that promote inflammation, the AHA notes.
Aim to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, each week, plus muscle-strengthening activities twice a week. You can meet these exercise goals a little at a time, such as by taking 10-minute walks.
Not smoking. Smoking causes inflammation. If you smoke and want to quit, ask your doctor for help.
Taking medicines as prescribed. If you have a high LDL ("bad") cholesterol level, your doctor may prescribe a statin drug. These medications, which lower cholesterol, may also reduce inflammation inside arteries.
Controlling your blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, work with your doctor to lower it. Like high cholesterol, high blood pressure may lead to inflammation, as well as damage arteries and raise the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Sources
- American College of Cardiology. "Inflammation and Cardiovascular Disease: 2025 ACC Scientific Statement." https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2025.08.047.
- American College of Cardiology. "New ACC Scientific Statement Details Role of Inflammation in CVD." https://www.acc.org/Latest-in-Cardiology/Journal-Scans/2025/09/29/20/38/New-ACC-Scientific-Statement-Details-Role-of-Inflammation-in-CVD.
- American College of Rheumatology. "The Truth About Anti-Inflammatory Diets: What Works, What Doesn't, and How to Eat for Rheumatic Health." https://rheumatology.org/patient-blog/the-truth-about-anti-inflammatory-diets-what-works-what-doesn-t-and-how-to-eat-for-rheumatic-health.
- American Diabetes Association. "The Benefits of Walking." https://diabetes.org/health-wellness/fitness/benefits-walking.
- American Heart Association. "Inflammation and Heart Disease." https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/consumer-healthcare/what-is-cardiovascular-disease/inflammation-and-heart-disease.
- American Heart Association. "Simple Ways to Reduce Inflammation and Protect Your Heart." https://www.heart.org/en/news/2025/12/08/simple-ways-to-reduce-inflammation-and-protect-your-heart.
- American Heart Association. "Why You Should Pay Attention to Inflammation." https://www.heart.org/en/news/2021/04/01/why-you-should-pay-attention-to-inflammation.