Valentine’s Day might be about matters of the heart, but as heart disease remains the number one disease, taking care of your own matters of the heart 365 days of the year is a must. Here are some ways you can get smart heart this February.
Get Your Blood Pressure Checked
If you haven’t had your blood pressure checked lately, make a note to do so. High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of heart attacks and strokes. Many people don’t have symptoms, so that’s another reason to get tested. Best of all you can find blood pressure machines in drugstores and even in lobbies of health care centers, no doctor’s appointment needed.
Get Some Exercise
Even if it’s just a walk around the neighborhood, start slowly and built up your endurance. Check out this site www.eatsmartsnacks.com/en/eatsmart/waterdownloadsjournal. You can download a free fitness journal and check on your weekly progress.
Watch the Salt/Sodium Intake
We all crave something salty now and then, but don’t go overboard. Salt increases your blood pressure and that puts you at higher risk for heart disease. Processed and prepackaged foods are usually the main culprits for foods loaded with sodium. Some foods I’ve found to be highly salted include canned soups, so if you can, make your own. It’s a great way to not only control the amount of salt you use, but an ideal way to use up leftovers, especially vegetables. If you can’t make your own, always check the label.
I’ve also found even things like veggie burgers and slices can be high in sodium, so once again, it’s smart to be a label reader.
And when it comes time to eating your veggies, choose fresh or frozen, and as a last resort, canned. If you have to go with the canned variety give them a rinse before you eat them. It won’t totally eliminate the salt, but it will cut down on most of it.
Another way you can get maximum taste without adding actual salt is to use things like herbs and spices. And I also keep a couple of varieties of the Mrs. Dash products on hand. Plus, I’ll always pick low sodium versions of seasonings like soy sauce.
Another heart friendly thing you can do is to make sure you have enough potassium in your diet. Try adding things like leafy greens, maybe a salad at lunchtime, or a banana at snack time or sliced on top of your morning cereal.
Nuts Aren’t The Bad Guys
While nuts might be fat laden and calorie dense, they’re not all bad. They contain unsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, folic acid, plant fiber, and arginine, which is believed to prevent clotting and therefore can lessen your chances of having a heart attack or stroke. So while I don’t recommend eating the whole container of nuts, eating them in moderation as a snack or added to things like salads and cereal, is okay. Some of the best picks-walnuts, which are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, almonds and pecans.
Whole Grains
Okay, even someone like me who’s always gone for the healthful items, once had a tough time dealing with some of the whole grain products. While many tasted heavy and just plain unpleasant, these days you can find whole grain products like cereals and crackers that aren’t that great a sacrifice to eat.
Whole grain adds fiber to our diets and fiber is believed to lower cholesterol, another major factor in heart disease. These days most food companies make at least one whole grain product, and most will label them with a tag on the bag or box with the words ‘whole grain’. Best of all because they’re so mainstream now, the prices have dropped too. If you’re making your own baked products, I recommend a half white, half whole grain flour mixture. I’ve found all whole grain isn’t that palatable and if you throw something away because you hate it, you’re missing the whole point of eating healthful.
Low Fat Heart Healthy Snacks
Go with low fat cheese, mozzarella, and low fat cream cheese with some herbs or Mrs. Dash spice added to it and eat it with whole grain crackers. Another tasty treat is homemade fruit salad…frozen grapes and bananas are great too. If you crave something warm, try a cup of low sodium, soup. And one of my favorites, low fat tortilla chips and salsa.
Tip of the Week-
When you think of Valentine’s Day what comes to mind, well besides flowers? Yes, chocolate. And now the good news is dark chocolate, eaten in moderation, is good for you, including your heart. One reason is it’s said to lower your blood pressure. And as a chocoholic I’m definitely going to follow the doctor’s orders on that one!
