February is heart health month. Heart disease is all too common in today’s society and a lot effort has been put into decreasing the number of cases. The American Heart Association has posted the signs and symptoms of someone suffering from heart failure. Recognizing and responding to these symptoms can help save a life.
Today, we are going to talk about how to maintain a healthy heart. Making small changes to our diet and lifestyle could have a strong influence on preventing heart disease. So what is a heart healthy diet? The diet puts an emphasis consuming fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy products, fish, legumes, nuts, while limiting the red meats, sugar sweetened beverages, saturated fats, sodium, and avoiding trans fat.
To lower blood pressure, aim to get no more than 2400 milligrams of sodium day. Replace the salt with fresh herbs and spices. This will up the flavor and decrease the sodium content.
Learning to replace the sodium with fresh herbs and spices makes for delicious fresh tasting food! In addition to following a heart healthy diet, avoid smoking and aim to get 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 4-5 times a week.
For a heart healthy dinner, try roasted salmon with a little olive oil and lemon with sauteed green beans with garlic and ginger. Add ½ cup of brown to the side if desired.
Happy Heart Healthy Month!!