8 best and worst foods for heart health

Eating a well-balanced diet is critical for your heart health, especially following a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack or stroke. Nutritious food "gives your body optimal performance, so that it can recover and heal itself and prevent another cardiac event in the future," says Lauri Watson, RD, a registered dietitian with Summerville Medical Center in Summerville, South Carolina.

Though it’s wise to follow some guidelines, consuming a heart-friendly diet isn’t as difficult as you might think. Watson recommends focusing on a plant-based eating plan and says it's OK to start small. "Even small changes add up to big changes over time,” she explains. Here’s how to begin.