Many doctors recommend that patients limit their fluid intake to a total of about 8 glasses each day. Losing weight will make it easier for the heart to pump blood to the body. Quitting smoking is essential. Smoking puts additional strain on the heart and can lead to blockages in the arteries supplying blood to the heart muscle. In addition, if you have had CABG or angioplasty, smoking increases the risk that the arteries will block up again.
Smoking also injures the lungs.
When the heart is weak, the other organs need to help compensate. If you have weak lungs, it's more difficult for your heart to pump efficiently. This can make shortness of breath worse. The flu can make people with heart failure critically ill, so you also may want to stay away from people who have colds or the flu. Regular, low-level exercise can improve heart function over time and help you feel better.