Since February is heart health month let’s talk about having a healthy heart. After reading many articles and watching lectures on heart health I have learned some interesting tips to help us stay heart healthy.
More than one article used this statement concerning heart disease, “This is a food borne illness.” Wow! That is strong statement! In other words, more than heredity and other factors, what we are ingesting is causing the problem. The consensus is that following a Mediterranean diet is ideal for heart health. This diet is high in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and seafood. Quite different from the standard American diet of high fat, sugar, carbs, and red meat.
In addition to eating a Mediterranean diet, drinking green tea, coffee and black tea in moderation are good. For me the best news was an ounce of dark chocolate daily is good for the heart!
Keeping active is also extremely important to heart health. Walking 20-40 minutes 3-4 times a week seems to be the desired amount of exercise specialists suggest. One article went so far as to say, “Less time sitting equals a prolonged life”. Others now say, “Sitting is the new Smoking”. That really emphasizes the importance of activity!
This Valentine’s Day, make a heart healthy commitment to eat wiser and move more for your heart’s sake!