What Are You Doing To Help Your Heart?
What Are You Doing To Help Your Heart?
In case you haven’t heard, February is American Heart Month. Heart Month happens every year. You may have heard about the Go Red for Women campaign to increase awareness of heart disease in women. People think of heart attacks and the drama we see on television and how that presents itself (or not).
In reality, heart disease encompasses several diseases, including high blood pressure and blockages of the blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
And, not all heart attacks are obvious or deadly. I know people who have had heart attacks and have not realized it. It was discomfort in the chest but ignored, and it went away, at least at that moment.
Here is the thing: people tend to think of how to help their heart AFTER a cardiac episode. So what can they do to improve their health AFTER the issue is already there?
But we can do things each day to reduce the risk of getting some form of heart disease before a visit to the emergency department or the surgery or the medications.
If you haven’t heard, heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the U.S. In addition, according to the CDC, half of the U.S. adult population has high blood pressure or unhealthy cholesterol levels.
And while people will ignore things or bring up the cost, copays, and so much more, there are many things that we can do to reduce our collective risk for heart disease that doesn’t cost anything: LIFESTYLE.
So, there are FIVE things to do now:
Don’t smoke and avoid second-hand smoke. Not smoking costs nothing and saves money. (1-800-QUIT-NOW can help). While you may not currently smoke, this is still a big issue for people with heart disease. So stop – get help and stop.
Eat a healthy, plant-based diet. And here, plant-based doesn’t mean excluding animal foods, as I explain here. Instead, this diet can include animal proteins as well as plant proteins. Need help? Find a registered dietitian. And continue to read more for my specific tips below.
Move more. You don’t need a gym membership or equipment other than shoes. Walk more, and as people learned in the past couple of years, we can do plenty at home. Do use the excuse that it is hard to get to the gym. Do it at home and stop making excuses.
Aim for a healthier body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. While there are issues with the BMI, combining a high BMI and high waist circumference is a red flag. I explain that here.
If you choose to do so, consume alcohol in moderation. Any type of alcohol, red wine or otherwise, is only healthy in moderation. What is moderation? I go into that here.
What about those other risk factors?
Genetics? It has a role, but it isn’t your destiny. My grandfather died of a heart attack at 49. My father, who has the genes and some risk factors, is 73 and is a healthy cancer survivor.
Gender? Men are at higher risk once they turn 45 and women at age 55. But again, lifestyle can help.
Disease? You are at higher risk if you have high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol, or type 2 diabetes.
Don’t know your numbers? Get them checked and ask for the results. When the nurse takes your blood pressure, ask what it was.
Ask your practitioner for a blood test to check your cholesterol and fasting glucose. When the medical assistant or nurse calls you with results, ask for a copy of the actual numbers, and don’t just accept the statement: “the doctor reviewed your lab results, and they are good and keep doing what you are doing!”
Find out how “good” they are. I have found people with borderline good and a year or so later are not good anymore.
FOODS TO EAT FOR HEART HEALTH
About half of U.S. adults are concerned about heart health but don’t know how to eat to help their heart. Or they don’t consider it until after something comes up.
People tell me they only ate a few eggs a week and stopped eating red meat. Making these diet changes is okay but not the most important thing to do when eating to help your heart.
Consider adding these foods to your diet to help your heart.
Omega-3 Fats
Omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce the risk of heart disease, mainly the omega-3’s found in cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, sardines. In addition, we find omega-3 fats in limited plant foods, including flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and Canola oil.
A Qualified Health Claim allowed by the FDA related to omega-3 fatty acids you may see on food labels:
“Supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. One serving of [Name of the food] provides [ ] gram of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids. [See nutrition information for total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol content.]”
Even if a food doesn’t have this label, it may still have omega-3, especially cold-water fatty fish. And cod and tilapia aren’t the fish with omega-3 in them.
Foods With Soluble Fiber
Food with soluble fiber can have another Health Claim as approved by the Food and Drug Administration on products that meet the requirements:
“Soluble fiber from foods such as [name of soluble fiber source, and, if desired, name of food product], as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. A serving of [name of food product] supplies __ grams of the [necessary daily dietary intake for the benefit] soluble fiber from [name of soluble fiber source] necessary per day to have this effect.”
What foods have soluble fiber?
Beans
There are so many types of beans that any of them are pretty good for you. These plant foods have fiber, including soluble fiber, and that is true for all beans, from black beans to kidney beans to pinto beans. And the most recent version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 3 cups of beans and legumes a week.
And for a shortcut in my home, I use mostly canned beans for a time saver. Choose low sodium or no added salt versions. And, you can drain and rinse them to remove more sodium.
Oatmeal
It is no secret that I love oatmeal and eat it nearly every day. Oatmeal and oat bran help reduce LDL cholesterol. The soluble fiber in oatmeal and oat bran dissolves in water and helps lower unhealthy cholesterol.
It doesn’t have to be the long-cooking steel-cut oats. I use the 10-minute version and often don’t cook it but add it to smoothies. But when I cook it, it takes about 2:30 in the microwave. Not even close to 10 minutes.
Fruits and Vegetables
Do I have to say this? Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber, often low in calories, and have all kinds of nutrients to help with overall health.
One of those benefits is that many fruits (apples, pears, berries) and vegetables (broccoli, carrots, and brussels sprouts) have soluble fiber.
Quit making excuses, don’t get hung up on the details, and consume those fruits and vegetables.
Nuts
Most nuts are good for your heart. They are full of fiber, unsaturated fat, and other essential nutrients. Peanuts and nine other nuts are allowed to make the following Qualified Health Claim according to the FDA:
“Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts [such as name of specific nut] as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. [See nutrition information for fat content.]”
Bottom line: What you eat or don’t eat may impact your heart health. Stop procrastinating and ensure you are eating these foods regularly. If not daily, then several times a week.
