Heart Healthy Foods

 

This month, we are focusing on being heart healthy.  The good news is that heart healthy is also immune healthy!  How do we do this? You are what you eat, so feed your heart well. In honor of February’s Heart Month, Luisa spoke to WFMZ’s Eve Russo to provide nutrition tips on how to keep your heart beating strong. Watch the segment by clicking below then read on to learn more!

 

We are listing 5 things to avoid in order to keep your heart well, which all have the common theme of PROCESSED:

  1. Sweets/pastries

  2. Soda – Drink water instead because it is key for hydration

  3. Margarine –Never! Use butter instead

  4. Processed Meats – Organic is much better for you! Make your own hoagies.

  5. Greasy/Salty Snacks such as chips and fried foods

And what do we need? Heart healthy food should contain B vitamins, magnesium, Vitamin K and Vitamin D, healthy fats and omega-3. Should we run to the pharmacy to get these vitamins? No, we can add foods and eat these nutrients in our diet.

What are 5 things to eat to keep your heart well?  They all have a common theme of FRESH.

  1. Leafy greens – yes. lettuce, but also arugula, swiss chard, spinach, beet greens, butter leaf lettuce (The greener the better.)

  2. Wild caught fish – B vitamins, omega-3. (Omega-3 fatty acids can relieve inflammation)

  3. Good fats are heart healthy fats- Olive oil and coconut oil (Not canola or vegetable oil), Avocado, pumpkin and sunflower seeds are good too. 

  4. Blueberries, strawberries and blackberries contain heart-healthy antioxidants that help fight off free radicals which can prevent disease.

  5. Fresh Herbs – cilantro, basil, parsley. We enjoy keeping these plants in our home for regular use.

strawberry heart.jpeg

Eating these foods all the time, is healthy, but yes, easier said than done.  Just remember, the more often you can eat better, the more often it will benefit your health and your heart.  Try these easy ideas to add heart-healthy ingredients in your everyday eating.

  • Include spinach to your sandwich or eggs

  •  Add fresh parsley to your tea

  • Add basil to your pizza

  • Add berries or seeds to any dessert (cake or ice cream)

  • Add heart healthy good fat avocado to your fruit smoothie (It’s our secret and no one in your family will even notice.)

Keep making steps toward a healthy heart this month! Your loved ones will thank you!

Luisa Szakacs