February is American Heart Month!

Your heart beats about 100,000 times in one day and about 35 million times in a year. A diet high in sodium, saturated fat, and cholesterol can force your heart to work harder to deliver blood throughout your body, and can lead to cardiovascular disease.

One in three Americans has some form of cardiovascular disease. This abnormal functioning of the heart or blood vessels can increase your risk for heart attack, stroke, heart failure, arrhythmia, and sudden death. Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the United States and the world; in 2009, nearly 600,000 Americans died from heart disease alone.

Some of the risk factors of cardiovascular disease are not controllable – age, race, gender, and family history, for example. However, many lifestyle risk factors are controllable. By eating a healthy diet, controlling stress, not smoking, and staying physically active, you can make your heart’s job a little easier and decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Here are a few nutrition tips for good heart health:

·    Read your food labels. Limit saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, and cholesterol.

·    Eat more vegetables and fruits.

·    Choose low-fat sources of protein, like skinless poultry, low fat dairy, lean meats, egg whites, and beans.

·    Select more whole grains and fewer refined grains. (Hint: Look for the word “whole” in the ingredient list.)

·    Control portion size accordingly to maintain a healthy weight.

Your heart does so much to take care of you; isn’t it time to return the favor?

Thanks for reading!

Anna