February is American Heart Month. While many people often overlook the importance of this month, this year could be the most important in its 57-year history. With the global pandemic and related shutdown affecting most Americans in some way, many people have found unhealthy habits have crept in and replaced regimented routine. Many find themselves eating more “comfort” and junk foods, drinking more alcohol and coupled with decreased activity levels, our health has never been more vital. While our lives may look different, the focus of American Hearth Month is a great way to remind ourselves that what we put in our body makes a difference. Heart Health isn’t waiting for normalcy and routine to return!
While you might be stuck at home, there are still many ways that you can keep cardiovascular health top of mind. Regular exercise combined with a heart healthy diet can vastly reduce the risk of developing heart disease. It is important to know that many factors play into your overall heart health. Factors you can’t control include age, gender, ethnicity, and family health history. But factors we can control include our diet, blood pressure, body weight, activity levels, and smoking status.
It’s easy to ignore it sometimes, but the truth of the matter is: what you eat matters. How you fuel your body impacts more than just your weight. To promote better heart health, it’s important to be consider the following:
- Eat less saturated fats, such as fatty meats and fast food.
- Limit high-fat dairy consumption to maintain healthy levels of LDL or “bad” cholesterol in our blood.
- Limit our sodium (salt) consumption to reduce the risk of hypertension. Many canned, packaged or processed foods contain high levels of sodium and should be avoided when possible.
It can be overwhelming to keep all the Dos and Don’ts top of mind as you plan your meals. Next time you are at the store, think “OOFFDa” to help you pick out heart healthy foods!
Oily Fish
Other Healthy Protein Options
Fiber Rich Whole Grains
Fruits and Vegetables
Dairy Alternatives
Oily Fish
Fish with omega-3 fatty acids have extra heart healthy benefits! Make sure to prepare them in healthy ways! Tuna, salmon and sardines all contain Omega-3 fatty acids.
Other Healthy Protein Options
Limiting red meat and processed meats can be beneficial for your ticker when planning protein options. While oily fish is the best option, plant-based protein and leaner meats are healthier options than red meat. Think beans, nuts and seeds, shellfish, eggs, and lean poultry.
Fiber Rich Whole Grains
Whole grains are key when searching for healthy grains. Look for the 100% Whole Grain stamp as some labels can be misleading. Try oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, buckwheat.
Fruits and Vegetables
The best fruits and vegetables are the ones you will actually eat. Make sure to avoid added sugars and salt and try to eat as many colors as possible!
Dairy and Alternatives
Research is showing that many dairy products can have saturated fat content. However, dairy is still a crucial component of a heart healthy diet including Greek yogurt, milks and kefir.
Making healthy decisions can be challenging, but they don’t have to be! While you might not be able to make healthy choices all the time, keeping your health at the top of your mind can provide long-lasting benefits, especially for your heart. You only have one body and one heart, eat the right foods to keep it ticking!
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