Celebrate American Heart month, February 2020 by taking advantage of information and events sponsored by the American Heart Association that encourage heart health awareness and heart attack prevention tactics.
Food for a Healthy Heart
One way to give your heart some love is to have a heart-healthy diet. Sometimes the words healthy and diet might make you think of bland and boring food. Fear not, heart-healthy foods are neither bland or boring! In fact, they are colorful, flavorful and delicious! They will help lower your cholesterol and blood pressure and prevent inflammation and arterial aging.
Strawberries and other colorful fruits and vegetables are full of flavonoids which are antioxidants that help curb inflammation. You should eat 2 ½ cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit each day.
Rye bread and other whole grain products are full of fiber and can help keep your cholesterol and blood pressure under control.
Avocados and other healthy vegetable fats work to bring down your “bad” cholesterol (LDL) while boosting the good cholesterol (HDL).
Salmon and other fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids can help lower your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Eating nuts can lower your risk of heart disease by 20% to 60%. Almonds, pistachios and walnuts are loaded with heart-friendly fats.
Surprise! A little dark chocolate every day is good for your heart.
As you add more heart healthy foods to your diet, try to cut back on eating unhealthy saturated and trans fats, salt and sugar.
If you would like to read the entire article from the Share Care site, click here.
Quoting from the American Heart Association, “A healthy heart is a gift for life.”
