Recommendations for Heart Health
February is Heart Month, the perfect time to learn about your risk for heart disease and the steps you need to take now to help your heart. Heart disease and the conditions that lead to it can happen at any age.
Heart disease doesn’t happen just to older adults. It is happening to younger adults more and more often. This is partly because the conditions that lead to heart disease are happening at younger ages.
Sodium and Your Heart
Salt makes your body hold on to water. If you eat too much salt, the extra water stored in your body raises your blood pressure. ... the higher your blood pressure, the greater the strain on your heart, arteries, kidneys and brain. This can lead to heart attacks, strokes, dementia, osteoporosis and kidney disease.
Eating too much sodium over time can increase your risk of high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease. For a healthy heart, it’s important not to eat too much salt.
To reduce blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease, the Heart Foundation recommends adults eat less than 5g of salt (2000mg of sodium) a day. That’s less than a teaspoon a day.
Tips to help reduce sodium in your diet.
Use fresh, rather than packaged, meats.
Choose fresh fruit and vegetables, they are very low in sodium.
When buying frozen vegetables, choose those that are labeled "fresh frozen" and do not contain added seasoning or sauces.
Begin reading food labels as a matter of course. Sodium content is always listed on the label.
Compare various brands of the same food item until you find the one that has the lowest sodium content, since this will vary from brand to brand.
Select spices or seasonings that do not list sodium on their labels, i.e. choose garlic powder over garlic salt.
When dining out, do your research, you can request that the dish be served without salt.
Beware of products that don't taste especially salty but still have high sodium content, such as cottage cheese.
If you have elevated blood pressure, dietary sodium restriction can not only lower your blood pressure but can enhance your response to blood pressure medications.
Salt preference is an acquired taste that can be unlearned. It takes about 6-8 weeks to get used to eating food with much lower quantities of salt.
Exercise
Your heart is a muscle and, as with any muscle, exercise is what strengthens it.
First, think about what you'd like to do and how fit you are.
What sounds like fun? Would you rather work out on your own, with a trainer, or in a class? Do you want to exercise at home or at a gym?
It isn’t news to most of us that we’re supposed to find exercise we like doing, but the importance of doing this can’t be over-stressed. It’s a rare person who will stick with an activity that feels boring or too hard. Don’t forget to start modestly and build up your activities slowly.
Check with your physician before starting any exercise program.
Sugar
The problem is, many of us eat far too much sugar, and we eat it in its simplest processed form.
This excess of sugar in our diets increases the risks of health conditions such as high blood cholesterol, hypertension, atherosclerosis, obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes.
When you eat excess sugar the extra insulin in your bloodstream can affect the arteries all over your body. It causes their walls to get inflamed, grow thicker than normal and more stiff which stresses your heart causing damage over time. This can lead to heart disease, like heart failure, heart attacks, and strokes. Research also suggests that eating less sugar can help lower blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease. Plus, people who eat a lot of added sugar (where at least 25% of their calories comes from added sugar) are twice as likely to die of heart disease as those whose diets include less than 10% of total calories from added sugar
Here are some tips to help you reduce your sugar intake:
Instead of adding sugar to sweeten oatmeal or cereal, top your bowl with your favorite fruit.
Opt for low-calorie or sugar-free drinks instead of sugar-sweetened beverages. Better yet, drink water (plain or sparkling).
Enjoy fruit for dessert instead of cookies or pastries.
Cut the amount of sugar you use in recipes for cakes and cookies or switch out sugar completely by using unsweetened applesauce.
Be mindful of condiments such as ketchup and barbecue sauce, which can be high in sugar, and opt for lower sugar options such as salsa, mustard or hot sauce.
Read food labels and research restaurant menus online. Avoid the high-sugar options.
Some of the Worst Foods For Your Heart
Red Meat
Bacon
Butter
Pizza
Eggs benedict
Double cheeseburger
Fettuccine Alfredo
Breaded chicken
Sausage
Canned soup
Soda
Ramen noodles
White rice, bread and pasta
Processed and cured meats
Deep fried food
Some Heart Healthy Foods
Leafy green vegetables
Whole greens
Berries
Avocados
Fatty fish and fish oils
Walnuts
Beans
Dark chocolate
Tomatoes
Almonds
Seeds
Garlic
Olive oil
Edamame
Green tea
The Heart Of the Story is:
As new evidence emerges, the link between diet and heart disease grows stronger.
What you put on your plate can influence just about every aspect of heart health, from blood pressure and inflammation to cholesterol levels and triglycerides.
Including these heart-healthy foods as part of a nutritious, well-balanced diet can help keep your heart in good shape and minimize your risk of heart disease.
If you or a loved one is experiencing health complications due to some of the topics and concerns discussed above, don’t wait any longer to receive assistance. Contact us to learn how we can help and the options that are available.