American Heart Month: Nourish Your Heart

February is American Heart Month, a time to show gratitude for our cardiovascular system (your heart and blood vessels) and all that it does for us. Our heart works around the clock to pump blood throughout our body to supply our organs with oxygen and nutrients and remove waste products so that we can show up for what matters to us in our lives. The average adult heart pumps about 5 liters of blood (that’s over a gallon!) every minute. Thank goodness we do not have to spend time consciously thinking about getting this done throughout the day!

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. One person dies every 33 seconds in the U.S. from cardiovascular disease, and about 1 in every 5 deaths in the U.S. is caused by heart disease.

There are many things that we have control over in our daily lives that can help reduce our risk for heart disease and show our heart some love! Here are tips to help you get started to honor your heart health this month, and for the months and years to follow:

1. Engage in regular physical activity that you enjoy. Moving your body on a regular basis is an excellent way to prevent heart disease and many other chronic diseases. Exercise not only helps us prevent heart disease, but it can also help lower stress levels, improve sleep, improve mood, reduce our risk of falling, improve cognitive function, and more. Research shows that prolonged sedentary activities (such as watching TV, computer use, driving, and other activities that typically involve prolonged sitting) increases risk for heart disease. Consider participating in both aerobic activities and resistance exercise. Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of exercise most days of the week (be sure to check with your healthcare provider first before drastically changing your activity levels, especially if you have certain chronic health conditions).

2. Do not smoke or use tobacco in any form. Tobacco use increases the risk for heart disease.

3. Consume alcohol in moderation, if at all. If you do choose to drink, aim to do so in moderation, which is defined as 2 drinks or less of alcohol per day for men, and no more than 1 drink per day for women. Keep in mind that a standard drink is equal to 12 ounces of beer, 8 ounces of malt liquor, 5 ounces of wine, and 1.5 ounces or a “shot” of 80-proof distilled spirits or liquor. Alcohol consumption increases the risk for chronic diseases including heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, digestive disorders, and more.

4. Eat a variety of whole, plant-based foods. These include fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, whole grains, plant-based proteins such as beans, peas, lentils, and nuts and seeds. Plant-based foods contain phytosterols, which are naturally occurring plant-based compounds that help lower cholesterol by reducing the amount of cholesterol that is absorbed in your intestines. This can help decrease your total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. High cholesterol, especially LDL cholesterol, increases the risk for heart disease.

5. Eat foods high in soluble fiber. Soluble fiber can help remove excess cholesterol from the body. Example food sources include oatmeal, beans, barley, seeds, fruits, and vegetables.

6. Increase the proportion of unsaturated fats compared to saturated fats in your diet. In general, saturated fats are solid at room temperature and excessive intake of these types of fats can increase the risk for heart disease. Common sources of saturated fats include high fat animal products such as red meats (beef, pork, and lamb), processed meats (salami, bologna, sausage, bacon, hot dogs, etc.), full fat dairy products, egg yolks, and more. Unsaturated fats can be found in a variety of plant-based foods such as avocados, nuts and seeds, and unsaturated fats are also found in fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, etc.). Enjoying unsaturated fats can help lower total and LDL cholesterol levels. Consider using plant-based oils (versus animal fats) in moderation such as olive oil to increase your intake of unsaturated fats. Shift your focus to which fats to add to your diet to help lower your heart disease risk.

7. Incorporate more foods high in omega-3 fats. Omega-3 fats can help lower triglyceride levels (a type of fat in the blood that’s typically checked by your doctor when your cholesterol levels are checked), and food sources include fatty fish, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and walnuts. Omega-3 fats can also help to promote eye health, reduce inflammation, lower our risk of some cancers, improve depression, and more.

8. Choose low sodium or no salt added options. Too much salt in the diet, especially salt from fast foods, convenience foods, and ultra-processed foods, can increase our risk for high blood pressure, a known risk factor for heart disease. Consider eating and enjoying more homemade meals to reduce excessive amounts of salt that food companies and restaurants typically add to foods for taste. When buying packaged foods consider looking for low-sodium products and products labeled as having “no salt added”.

9. Manage stress levels. Stress activates our sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight), which can lead to increased blood pressure. Increased blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease.

10.Focus on sleep. Sleep disturbances can impact heart and brain health. The American Heart Association recommends 7-9 hours of sleep per night, though the amount of sleep needed for optimal health and well-being varies based on the individual. Insomnia (trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or both) is linked to high blood pressure and heart disease.

There are many small, actionable steps that you can take to protect yourself from heart disease, such as adding more enjoyable movement to your day, and increasing your intake of foods that provide omega-3 fats and fiber. Remember that small changes add up, and every step counts to help show your heart some love!

Crystal PaceJanuary 30, 2024