If heart health is something that you have on your mind, it’s important that you take a good look at what you’re eating with your daily diet plan. Eating the wrong foods could result in you worsening your heart condition, while eating the right foods could result in you improving it. Let’s take a closer look at five nutrition-oriented steps that can help you optimize your heart health. Limit Your Sodium Consumption The first thing you’ll want to do is watch how much sodium you’re consuming in your diet plan. While sodium and cholesterol are not directly linked, the problem is that a high sodium diet will increase blood pressure, which for those with high blood cholesterol levels, can increase the risk of heart disease. By keeping blood pressure levels in check while you strive to lower your cholesterol, you’ll stay healthier. Consider Swapping Red Meat For Beans Next, red meat is one of the leading sources of cholesterol in the human diet, especially if you are eating red meat varieties that are higher in total fat content. Try swapping red meat with beans one or two times per week. Beans on the other hand are high in dietary fiber and are going to help lower your overall cholesterol levels. Plus they will still provide a great source of protein that your body needs for tissue repair and recovery. Increase Your Intake Of Dietary Fiber Speaking of dietary fiber, that brings us to the next point – making sure that you get in enough on a day-to-day basis. Dietary fiber will help to lower cholesterol levels, while boosting your overall heart health profile. Plus, it also helps keep you feeling more satiated after meals, which could then mean you consume fewer calories over the course of the day. If this then leads to weight loss, it could mean a better cholesterol profile as well. Increase Your Consumption Of Coconut Oil Coconut oil is one fat that you want to have in your diet plan. Despite the fact that coconut oil is a saturated fat and many people believe that you must avoid all saturated fat in your diet, this is one exception. Coconut oil has been shown to lower cholesterol levels, boost heart health, decrease inflammation, and can also strengthen your immune system. All in all, it’s one fat that you want to have in your plan. Both coconut oil as well as olive oil are excellent additions to any plan designed to lower cholesterol levels. Add Plenty Of Potassium Rich Foods To Your Diet Plan Finally, be sure that you are adding plenty of potassium rich foods to your diet plan as well. Fresh fruits and vegetables work excellent here. Getting enough potassium will help to best keep your blood pressure in check, while the fiber from these foods further helps reduce cholesterol levels. So there you have five steps to take if you want to lower your cholesterol levels and improving your heart health. By using these, you can definitely lower your risk factor for heart disease.