The number of deaths caused by heart diseases keeps going up every day in the United States. The government recently revealed its new food pyramid that lays more emphasis on physical exercise and a well-balanced diet plan. However, it needs to do much more to improve the health of this nation where nearly 65 percent of the population is obese or overweight, and the health costs keep rising rapidly.

While the exercise component to the pyramid was indeed new, so too was the outlook on a balanced diet. The new pyramid takes into account that not all members of a food group are equal. Certain vegetables might be better for you than others and so it is important to remember that you have to pay attention to which members of food groups you consume. The actual servings are not as important as what is in those servings.

That does not imply that you can continue with the same size of the servings and the traditional 3 meals per day, if you want to reduce weight. On the contrary, you should try to have three fairly light meals with two snacks during the day for best results. This will increase your metabolism and improve your chances for sustained weight loss.

Your metabolism is basically the speed at which your body's engine is running. The higher the metabolism, the more energy it takes to keep the body functioning normally. When you skip breakfast or go for long periods between eating, the body naturally slows the metabolism as a means of conserving energy. Eating meals more often and in smaller amounts actually keeps the metabolism up and increases your chances for sustained weight loss.

Increasing your metabolism is made easier by working out. In particular, weight lifting is great for the heart and body. This is because muscles burn more energy than any other tissue in your body. The larger your muscles, the more energy you will burn throughout the day and the higher your metabolism will remain.

Aerobic exercises such as Jogging, biking, cross-country skiing, and swimming are worth considering if you wish to have a strong heart. These aerobic exercises give great results when done on regular basis for at least three days a week for roughly thirty minutes every time. However, working out too much might do more harm than good and lead to injuries.

One of the best things that you can do for your heart and overall health is to drink plenty of water every day. Water is a natural purifier and helps remove toxins from your body. It is recommended that you drink half an ounce of water for every pound you weigh. Getting serious about your heart and its health now will lead to big benefits down the road including lowered medical costs, cleaner living, and simply feeling better about yourself than you do now. If you don't want to become another statistic, then make the changes to your diet and lifestyle necessary to a better heart and better living.