WAAYS TO BE HEALTHIER- HEART Say "om." Meditation helps you relax, which slows your breathing and heart rate. It also helps lower blood pressure and reduces your risk for blood clots Drink pomegranate juice. This colorful fruit is high in antioxidants called polyphenols, which can help reduce atherosclerosis (arterial plaque), a major risk factor for heart disease Bond with Mom. The Harvard Mastery of Stress Study found that those who reported a loving and caring relationship with their parents were less likely to have a serious illness such as high blood pressure or heart disease Eat soy. To reduce cholesterol levels, add foods such as tofu or edamame (soybeans) to your diet five times a week, says Somer. Get a pet. "An animal is a huge stress reliever, and a recent study found that spending time with your pet reduces high blood pressure by fifteen percent Get a flu shot. Older people who got a flu shot were 19 percent less likely to be hospitalized for heart disease than those who didn't, according to a study in The New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers think influenza and pneumonia may trigger heart disease by damaging blood vessels and limiting blood flow Skip the elevator. "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that if you climb up and down just three flights a day you'll improve your cardiovascular health and lose about ten pounds over the course of a year