February is Heart Health Month

Cardiovascular Disease is STILL the #1 cause of death for Americans.  As of this year, a person in the US dies (on average), every 34 seconds from Cardiovascular Disease (CVD).

The total number of CVD-related deaths continues to increase each yea. Newer stats also show long we are expected to have SHORTER lives than in 2021.  77 years to 76.4 years. 

The age-adjusted mortality rate increased for the first time in years. This means more people are dying at every age group than before.                Heart Disease and Stroke Statistical Update

As a registered dietitian, I see many risk factors become a problem for many people. As a Cardiac nutrition educator, I teach a lot about sodium balance and choosing the best fats.  CVD risk factors include: Stress Management, Smoking/Vaping, Obesity/Physical activity, and Eating Habits.

You do not have to change EVERYTHING, to make a difference. 2 or 3 small changes that you can do long term (like, for the rest of your life) can make a big impact on your heart health.!

Recommendations:

Eat Regularly:  Your metabolism is like a campfire and you need to put wood on the fire to keep it going.  When you stop putting wood on the fire (fasting), it goes out. That is often the reason many of us don’t feel hungry first thing in the morning. We have been sleeping and our metabolism has been running on fumes.

Balance your Food: The human body needs all the food groups for ideal nutrition. Our brain and spinal cord prefers to run on carbs. Our muscle need protein for healing and rebuilding.  Fruit, Vegetables and Whole grain provide us vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. 

My rule of thumb:  a healthy snack is 2 food groups: apple and PB or Cheese and wheat crackers

A healthy meal is 3 or more food groups: Meat, Veg and Grain.  My favorite is a stir fry- you can literally get ALL the food groups in 1 meal!

Visit:    Healthy Eating | American Heart Association

Get your Fiber: Fiber is your friend. Insoluble fiber is indigestible and supports a healthy GI tract by bulking your stool and keeping things moving. (Found in berries, beans, nuts and seeds).  Soluble fiber can help lower your cholesterol levels (Found in oats/oatmeal, peas, beans and apples).

   Want to see how?  Click here:   How Fiber Lowers Cholesterol | NutritionFacts.org

Drink Enough Fluids: (Non-sugar/non-caffeine):  8 glasses a day is a good goal.  If you crave something sweet, the recommendation for Juice is 6 oz per day.  Watering it down will keep you taste buds from making you crave it more.  If water is not your favorite, find something to make it work if you can like lemon, lime, orange or even an herbal tea bag can add some flavor.

Get Enough Sleep

Research shows people tend to eat more food after a poor night of sleep. Try to chill out 30 minutes before bed.  Plan to get into AND out of bed around the same time every day will help train your mind and body.  This can help with consistent and regular eating patterns.

Stress management

Seriously. This will change your life!  Always dealing with high stress results in chronically high levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. Research shows a connection between high levels of cortisol in the body and metabolic syndrome.  This causes your body to need more oxygen, more energy and more nutrients. 

Try:  deep breathing techniques. Fast breathing and agitating thoughts are a stress response.  Counteract by taking slow and deep breaths to calm tension, lower your heart rate and blood pressure, and calm your mind.

Visit:   Stress and Health | The Nutrition Source | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Things that will DOUBLE your risk factors, even though it can feel like a stress reliever, it is doing damage to your heart.

~Smoking Tobacco or Vaping

~Excess Alcohol consumption

Need some help?  Click here:  Quit Vaping - Quit Smoking - Quit Tobacco | American Heart Association

Which one of these tips could change your life?

One note: each person and condition may have specific, detailed recommendations that aren’t covered here. For example, people with diabetes may count carbohydrates; those with hypertension will likely limit sodium. The following recommendations focus on the foundational issues and can make a profound impact on all of these metabolic disorders.