Saturday, February 11, 2012

Psst…It’s Heart Healthy Month! Pass it on.


February isn’t just all about love and cards with cute little heart decorations on them.  It’s also a month to recognize the importance of maintaining a healthy heart (the one that keeps us alive)!

It may be scary news if you didn’t already know, but Cardiovascular Disease (AKA heart disease, hypertension) is the number one cause of deaths in America.  Cardiovascular Disease is caused by impaired blood flow throughout the body or by the heart not pumping blood as well as it should.  This could lead to a heart attack, stroke, or heart failure. 

Enough with the bad news, and on to the good news… J

There are many things you could do for yourself to decrease your risk of being the next victim of Cardiovascular Disease.  First of all, feeding yourself healthy foods is possibly the easiest way for you to keep your heart healthy.  You may be thinking, ‘What healthy foods exactly should I be eating?’ Below is a broad list.

Heart-healthy foods:

  • ·      Fresh fruits
  • ·      Fresh vegetables
  • ·      Beans and legumes
  • ·      Whole grains
  • ·      Nuts
  • ·      Fatty fish
  • ·      Tea
  • ·      Dark Chocolate



Foodgawker and Whole Foods have plenty of recipes for these ingredients.

Since all of these different healthy foods contain all different nutrients, there is not just one food that will keep your heart healthy.  The key is to always have variety in your diet.  Have assorted colors of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis because different colors contain different nutrients.

Remember to exercise and get your sleep.  It’s as simple as walking everyday for at least 30 minutes because something is better than nothing.  It’s all about a healthy lifestyle to a healthy heart.

Spread the love this Valentine’s day by sharing this information to family and friends.  
Happy heart-healthy month! 

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