As we approach the final days of January, I wanted to look ahead to February and talk about American Heart Month. Did you know that heart disease is the leading cause of death in America? However, there is good news. Many of these deaths and risk factors are preventable. Often times high cholesterol, high blood pressure, excess body weight and obesity can be controlled with lifestyle changes, medications and healthy eating. Making healthy food choices and being physically active can really make a positive impact on your heart health. Here are a few simple tips from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that you can implement to decrease cardiac risk factors and improve overall heart health!
· Be physically active in your own way. Start by doing what you can, at least 10 minutes at a time. Always check with your physician before beginning a workout regimen.
· Eat more fruits and vegetables. One good goal is to fill half your plate with colorful fruits and vegetables every meal.
· Eat less salt by preparing foods at home so you can control the amount of salt in your meals. As you prepare meals, use as little salt as possible. You can cut at least half the salt from most recipes. As you shop, select reduced-sodium or no-salt-added canned soups and vegetables.
· Choose whole grains over refined grains: such as whole wheat bread and pasta, brown rice, oats, barley and quinoa.
· Regularly eat fatty fish like salmon, lake trout, albacore tuna (in water, if canned), mackerel and sardines.
· Eat fewer foods with saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, and refined grains such as baked goods, snack foods and dessert.
