FOOD
- Choose low-fat protein sources. Fish, chicken and legumes are good choices. Red meat is okay, but choose grass-fed beef. Grass-fed is better because it contains more omega-3 fatty acids - from the grasses and clover the cows eat in the field. Omega 3s help reduce inflammation - a key player when it comes to your heart health.
- Load up on fruits and veggies. They are full of vitamins and minerals (imperative for daily metabolic functions) and they contain antioxidants which also help with inflammation.
- Fats. Yes, some fats are good for you. We couldn't live without fat in our diets. All of the cells in our bodies contain fats (lipids) in their membranes. Stick to "healthy" fats that have shown to decrease inflammation like the ever-so-popular omega 3s (polyunsaturated fat).
- Control your sodium intake. I love salt just as much as the next guy. One easy way to keep this in check is to make sure the majority of the food you consume is fresh and in its most natural form. When you eat food this way and add salt to it, you consume far less than what has been put in processed food. High intake of sodium has shown to increase blood pressure, which is simple physiology really. Salt increases the concentration inside of your arteries, which causes water to follow, which increases the pressure inside those arteries. This makes your heart work harder than it should to pump the blood to all of the vital parts of your body.
- Portion size. This is a tough one. Especially when the food you are eating is just too good to put down. I start with plate/bowl size. Instead of a dinner plate, I fill up a salad plate. I eat less, but still feel satisfied because I've tricked my brain into thinking that since I've cleared my plate, I'm done eating. Or, if I'm eating something that would be served in a bowl, I'll use a coffee mug instead. Usually smaller in size, I can fill one up with whatever I'm eating and I consume less than what I would have eaten out of that big soup bowl. If I still think I want more after I've eaten, I'll ask myself - if all I had to eat right now was an apple, would I still eat it? Usually the answer is no. Or, just give yourself 5-10 minutes before you go back for more. By that time your brain has caught up with the amount that is in your stomach and you'll decide you really are satiated and more food is not needed.
- Treat yourself! Desserts, pizza - whatever your treat may be - is totally allowable. Enjoy it thoroughly and give that yummy stuff the respect it deserves. If you just scarf down a whole pie in 5 seconds - is that really enjoyable? It's not for me. Plus, I find if I treat myself occasionally, the craving for it stays in check and I'll get to enjoy that deliciousness again and I eat less of it.
- Our bodies are designed to move! For example, one of the ways we help our body get blood back to the heart is simply by walking. We have veins in our legs nestled in and around our muscles, and simply by using these muscles helps move that blood against gravity and gets it back to the heart. That doesn't mean you HAVE to lift weights or spend 5 hours a day on a treadmill, it just means you have to move!
- Hit up the gym. Or sidewalk. Jump on a bike with your kids. The actual hard part is just making yourself do it. Once you start, you'll be happy you did. Literally. Many studies show physical activity boosts your mood.
- If the gym is not your thing, there are plenty of ways to get physical activity in your day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator/escalator. Out running errands? Park farther away from the door. You'll probably get in and out of that store faster than you would spending time driving around trying to find the best parking spot!
- Studies show people who have trouble handling stress in their lives are more likely to suffer from heart disease. Find a healthy way to manage stress. Most people will find exercise is the best way to reduce stress, anything from cardio to yoga. Get a massage. Do something you love. Read. Spend time outside. Laugh. Talk with a friend. The possibilities are endless!
- I had to throw this one in here. It's funny for me actually, because my pathology professor harps on smoking almost every day in class. It's borderline annoying actually, but he is right. Smoking decreases your tolerance for physical activity and it makes your blood more prone to clotting. Trust me, your heart wants to pump nice, smooth blood. Your heart pumps blood into your lungs so it can pick up oxygen before it gets pumped back out into your body to oxygenate all of your tissues. A clot in the lung just doesn't sound nice now does it?
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