February is not just for Valentine’s Day. It is also heart health month, which bring me to this: Heart health remains one of the most challenging areas for Americans.
Despite decades of public health efforts, heart disease is still the leading cause of death for both men and women. It is also very expensive to treat and can be disabling. In 2010, it cost Americans an astonishing $109 billion.
The Centers for Disease Control shares that “about 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year–that’s 1 in every 4 deaths.”
High blood pressure, physical inactivity and smoking are key risk factors for heart disease.
Many other common medical conditions and lifestyle habits can also raise your risk for heart disease, which include:
- Diabetes
- Overweight and obesity
- Poor diet (inadequate vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, fibers, beneficial microbes, and excessive sugar)
- Physical inactivity
- Smoking
- Excessive alcohol use
You can promote heart health and reduce heart disease with foods that provide a specific biologic and therapeutic function (also known as functional foods).
Some of the most promising functional foods that love your heart include blueberries, watermelon, cocoa, and beetroot. These are known as “functional foods” because they can help normalize blood pressure and cholesterol, while protecting your cells from the gnarly free radicals.
Here are recipes you may like to try to help you eat more of these foods:
- Strawberry-ginger-beet smoothie
- Watermelon salad with tomato, basil, lime
- Berry Teff Muffins (use blueberries for an extra heart uplift!)
In today’s podcast, I’ll cover just how powerful these four foods are in helping you boost your heart’s health.
These pretty plants offer different phytochemicals, or plant chemicals, which are a plant’s secret weapon. They’re armed with antioxidants, a powerful force fighting that combats oxidative stress, and protects your lovely ticker.
Heart health is largely rooted in lifestyle, including:
- Managing your stress
- Engaging in physical activity
- Eating from the Mediterranean meal pattern
- Sleeping 7-9 hours (follow a regular schedule)
- Minimize sugar and processed food intake
- Feeling good about life (emotional well-being matters)
Minimize sugar
Sugar has a profound inflammatory effect, which harms your heart health. Consider reducing your sugar intake, especially from all processed forms. See my tips for doing this here.
Your heart’s health is strongly linked to your emotional well-being
Practices like meditation, yoga, nature outings, spiritual practices, and time with loved ones can be essential components of enjoying emotional wellness. You might like to try some of the guided meditations I offer my readers and listeners (here).
I also offer more guided meditations to my members in my free membership site (sign up here)
Now I want to hear from you.=) Please tell me about you in the comments below:
- What food or lifestyle practices help you improve your heart health, blood pressure or cholesterol?
- What do you intend to start doing to improve your heart health and prevent it’s disease?
I can’t wait to read your comments. =)
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