Heart Health

Tips to Keep Your Heart Healthy-

What you eat everyday, how active you are, how much stress you have, and how much sleep you get each night all affect the health of your heart. To help understand how to eat for a healthy heart, follow these nutrition tips:
Enjoy a variety of foods. Emphasize breads, cereals, other grain products, fruits and vegetables. Choose lower fat dairy products, leaner meats, and foods prepared with little or no fat. Limit salt, caffeine, and alcohol. High amounts of the bad LDL cholesterol will deposit cholesterol in the artery walls forming plaques. More and more plaque will narrow the artery and block blood flow which may result in a heart attack. LDL is considered bad cholesterol. Saturated fats and trans fatty acids are the most important factors that raise cholesterol. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in nuts and fish can lower LDL levels. High fiber foods, such as fruits, oats, barely, and legumes also play a role in lowering LDL levels. The good cholesterol, HDL, is responsible for removing the bad cholesterol from our bodies. High levels of HDL can prevent the risk of heart disease. Consume foods that contain omega 3 fatty acids help lower triglycerides and increase HDL levels. Eat a variety of fish at least twice a week. Oily fish contain heart-healthy Omega 3 fatty acids as well as a nuts and seeds (almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds). Cooking with extra virgin olive oil is a good way to increase HDL levels.

Avoid processed foods (anything that you buy that comes in a box). These items are made to have a long shelf life and contain many preservatives. Before purchasing any processed item, look for these key words: Hydrogenated Soybean/vegetable oil (Hydrogenated foods increase triglycerides in your arteries), High Fructose Corn Syrup. If one of the ingredients sounds unfamiliar or scientific, it is probably not the best choice to be eating. The most hearth healthy foods are the ones that have not been processed at all, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and beans. Canned and frozen versions of these foods are definitely heart-healthy and convenient. Stock up on canned beans (black, kidney, garbanzo, and lentils), canned or frozen fruits (in own juices not in heavy syrup-peaches, pears, pineapple, berries) and vegetables (no salt added-corn, peas, carrots, colored peppers, tomatoes, asparagus, broccoli). Purchase canned tuna or salmon, Frozen salmon or boneless skinless chicken breast),
Lean cuts of meat (boneless skinless chicken breast best choice) Grilled or baked with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Focusing on eating these foods and getting physical activity each day will keep your heart healthy. Eating a nutrient-rich diet is key to preventing health issues or improving the ones that you have.


~Your Coach,
Alison Hopkins
B.S. Nutrition
Personal Fitness Trainer