It's American Heart Health Awareness Month. Because heart disease is still the #1 leading cause of death amongst Americans, I thought this would be an appropriate month to talk about heart healthy foods.
5 Simple Basic Tips
Reduce the amount of processed foods you consume and focus on a diet rich in Whole Foods. Instead of taking things away, try thinking about adding 1-2 servings of fruits and vegetables to your daily diet. Start small by adding one new fruit and vegetable each week. This will help you increase your fiber and lower your intake of inflammatory oils and processed sugars. Work your way up to 1-2 cups of fruit per day and 2-3 cups of veggies per day.
Drink 1/2 your weight in oz of water. Ensuring you are staying hydrated is key in reducing your risk of heart related diseases. How do you figure it out? If you weigh 150 lbs you would divide by 2 150/2= 75. You would need to drink 75 oz of water to achieve your daily recommended intake of water.
Move your body- Just 30 minutes a day can help. You don't have to go out and run a marathon. You can take a walk outside! Walking is one of the best ways to get started, so grab a loved one and get moving!
Stress less- The last two years have been extremely stressful. Taking time to take care of yourself and your mind is important. Ways to reduce stress are taking a yoga class, seeing a therapist, finding a meditation instructor, reading personal development or just relaxing in a quiet space.
Drink less- It's recommended that in order to reduce your risk of heart related disease you limit your intake of alcohol to 1 glass per day for women and 2 for men. (always check with your doctor to check for the appropriate recommendation for you)
Here are 5 Heart Healthy foods you should try to consume
Berries- Berries are full of fiber rich carbs and provide a good source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties which help aid in the fight against heart disease.
Avocados- Avocados provide us with healthy fats, needed for proper body function. Avocados provide monounsaturated fats which have been shown to lower cholesterol levels and aid in heart health
Chia seeds- Chia seeds are full of Omega 3 fatty acids and fiber and an antioxidant called quercetin. Quercetin is responsible for helping our bodies reduce the risk of many diseases, including heart disease and the high content of fiber helps lower blood pressure. Chia seeds are a powerhouse!!
Dark Chocolate- since its "love month" I think it's appropriate to say that dark chocolate does provide some benefits. Consuming in small amounts (less than 6 servings a week, may help decrease your risk of heart disease(1)
Salmon- Catch yourself a serving or two of salmon this month and know that it's full of Fiber, Omega 3's and anti-inflammatory properties that can have great benefits for your heart like possibly reducing triglycerides, blood pressure and inflammation in the body.
Leading a healthy lifestyle is key in creating a healthy heart. These are just 5 foods that can help you reduce your risk of heart disease but eating a diet rich in whole foods is key. Make sure to read your labels and ensure you are eating foods that benefit your heart day in and day out.
If you need help learning how to read labels and would like to learn how to read labels, my next workshop is February 3rd 2021, JOIN US!!
Hope to see you there!
Tasha
@Informed Eating Academy 2022. Any illegal reproduction of this content will result in immediate legal action.