Mountaintop Medicine: Nutrition Notes — Show Your Heart Some Love This Valentine’s Day

Love is in the air, and so is the reminder that a healthy heart is the key to a long and happy life. In February we celebrate Valentine’s Day, and it also happens to be American Heart Month.

The American Heart Association encourages everyone to use this time to reflect and focus on their cardiovascular health. Why might you ask? Heart Disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women in the United States. The leading cause of heart disease is high blood pressure. The CDC estimates that nearly half of the US population are living with high blood pressure. Furthermore, only half of this group is estimated to have their blood pressure under control.

Now is the time to take control of or prevent high blood pressure. Consider adopting these healthy living habits to improve your (or your sweetheart’s) heart health.

Get enough sleep. Most adults need between 7-9 hours of good quality sleep that makes us feel refreshed in the morning. Regular exercise and having consistent sleep patterns are all helpful for promoting a good night’s sleep.

Be more active. The exercise recommendation for adults is 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (brisk walking, water aerobics, dancing, gardening, biking) or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity (hiking, running, swimming laps, jumping rope). Start small, gradually increase the amount of time and intensity that you exercise each week.

Stop smoking. Smoking causes damage to your heart and blood vessels even in small amounts. Reach out to your doctor to discuss programs or products that can help you quit. Visit smokefree.gov for additional resources.

Eat well. A well-balanced diet can help lower your blood pressure and improve your cholesterol levels. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is a helpful eating plan that can be maintained for life. This eating plan is moderate in sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars. It is also rich in protein, dietary fiber, potassium, and calcium.

Our bodies need sodium, but too much can cause us to hold onto extra water. This causes blood pressure to increase, and it makes our heart, kidneys, and liver work harder. Salt is a primary source of sodium. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting sodium intake to 2300 mg per day. Did you know that just 1 teaspoon of table salt contains 2300 mg of salt?

The DASH diet consists of portioning your plate into 3 sections. Half of your plate should include fruit and vegetables. These can be from fresh, frozen, or canned sources with no salt, sugar, or sauces. Low sodium or reduced sodium are also good options. One quarter of your plate should include lean proteins such as meat with limited visible fat (loin or round cuts), poultry (skinless), fish, egg whites, dried beans, quinoa, or soy-based products like tofu. The remaining quarter should consist of carbohydrate foods (breads, pasta, rice, cereal) that are whole grain, high in fiber, and don’t contain added sugars. For milk and dairy foods, choose nonfat or low-fat options and low-sodium cheeses.

Be a smart shopper. Packaged and processed foods such as frozen meals, cured and processed meats like bacon or sausage often contain high amounts of sodium. Read the nutrition label, choose foods with 140mg or less of sodium per serving. When cooking, add flavors to your food without using salt or salt-containing spices. Citrus juices, herbs, or sodium-free seasoning blends are all good options.

Craving something sweet? Try this heart healthy frozen yogurt bark recipe from the American Heart Association.