February is Heart Health Month!
February is American Heart Month. This is a time to talk about and focus on our cardiovascular health. Heart health is one of the most widespread health challenges in the US. Cardiovascular disease, defined as disorders of the heart and blood vessels, has accounted for more than 860,00 deaths in the US in 2017 according to the AHA (American Heart Association). That is about 1 in 3.
Many risk factors for cardiovascular disease are modifiable, meaning “they can be changed.” Some of the common modifiable risk factors include: smoking or use of tobacco, physical activity and diet.
Oftentimes, doctors will encourage their patients to lose weight to lower their risk of heart disease and as evidence has shown, intentional weight loss by dieting or restriction doesn’t work. Studies have shown that 95% of people that lose weight will regain the weight back in 1 to 5 years. In addition, dieting leads to restriction, which leads to binging, which leads to feelings of guilt and shame, which leads us back to dieting only to continually repeat the dieting cycle.
I tell a lot of my clients that I don’t want to focus on taking away, but rather focus on what we can add. There are a lot of great things we can add into our lives to help decrease our chance of heart disease. Trust me, I am right there with you all. Heart disease runs in my family, and it is scary. My grandfather and uncle have passed away from heart attacks, in addition to my father having high blood pressure. I have noticed that my blood pressure isn’t exactly the lowest, so I try to honor my health the best I can.
Here are a few tips/tricks you can add to help keep your heart healthy:
Include Dietary Fiber.
Dietary fiber is a great addition and is mostly found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans. There are two types of fiber, insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fiber is found in whole-wheat, wheat bran, nuts, vegetables such as green beans, potatoes and cauliflower. Soluble fiber is found in peas, oats, apple, flaxseed, barley and psyllium. Soluble fiber helps lower total cholesterol by lowering your LDL cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber also contributes to reducing blood pressure and inflammation.
A few ways to increase your intake of dietary fiber would be to aim for your plate to be ¼ veggies and ¼ fruits. Choose whole grains when possible. When snacking, incorporate a handful of nuts or dried fruit.
Increase Your Omega-3 Fatty Acid Intake.
Omega-3 Fatty acids are a type of unsaturated fatty acid that can reduce inflammation throughout the body. Stress or inflammation in the body can damage blood vessels and lead to cardiovascular disease. It is recommended to consume at least two servings of fish a week. Here are a few fish options high in omega-3’s: salmon, sardines, cod, and canned tuna.
What if incorporating fish into your diet isn’t realistic? I get it! Fish can be expensive. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea or you may be vegetarian. So, how else can we get those omega-3’s into our diet? Try adding chia seeds, flaxseeds, or hemp seeds to your oatmeal or smoothies. Enjoy some nuts, specifically walnuts. Have about a half a cup of edamame.
If you don’t think you are getting enough omega-3 fatty acids into your diet, supplementing is the next best option. There are several types of omega-3 supplements to choose from, including, fish oil, cold liver oil, krill oil, algae oil, or flaxseed oil.
Incorporate Some Movement!
Physical activity is so important when it comes to all around health, but specifically heart health. As I have discussed before, oftentimes the pursuit of weight loss or beauty standards revolve around physical activity which causes us to burn out and build resentment towards exercise. Working on incorporating movement that is enjoyable is a must! Whether that be yoga, walking, rollerblading, pilates, running, rowing, etc. there are a ton of options. You just have to find what fits YOU and only YOU will know that!
So, why is being active good for our heart? Moving our bodies keeps our heart and blood vessels happy and healthy. It can raise HDL cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and help stabilize blood sugar. Physical activity also benefits our mental health and lowers stress levels. It can increase bone strength which helps with balance.
As a reminder, to obtain the wonderful benefits of movement, it is important to remember that we must be adequately fueled, in addition to allowing rest days.