“Heart Healthy Habits”
January 27, 2011
I have created a top 10 list for you to enjoy about easy and healthy habits you can create and your heart will benefit.
1. Sodium Check – the recommended daily intake for sodium is 1,300mg. Many processed products are very high in sodium. Think about eating more natural products versus man-made products. (FYI – a Whopper has 1,310mg of sodium – a full day’s worth of sodium)
2. Hydrogenated Oil – it is best to eat food with no partially hydrogenated oils or trans fat on the nutrition label. Note: products can say that they have zero trans fat if it is .5g or less.
3. Calcium – according to a Harvard Study, people with low calcium in their diet have more calcium in the smooth muscle cells and that makes the arteries constrict and raise blood pressure. Study shows you can get calcium – 3 servings from low fat yogurt or low fat milk to satisfy the calcium requirement.
4. Nutritional Value: read the labels on products. It should have 20% or less of RDA for carbohydrates and aim for 5grams of fiber. This is especially important if blood-glucose is high.
5. Good Lifestyle – unfortunately good habits do not just cancel out the bad habits. For example, if you are smoking and not exercising but you think by eating fruits and vegetables, it will balance out, you are wrong.
6. Good Fats: fat-free doesn’t mean it is better than low fat. Many times fat-free foods add sugar and sodium in attempt to make the product taste good. Both monounsaturated fats like olive, canola, and peanut oils and polyunsaturated fats like in salmon, nuts and flaxseed can even lower cholesterol. Approximately 30% of calories can be from healthy fats.
7. Down time: it is important to leave yourself quiet time daily. Those who do not, have a higher risk for anxiety, mental stress, and potential chronic heart stress. As little as ten minutes a day can make a significant difference.
8. Legumes: try eating legumes 4 times a week and it can reduce risk of cardio vascular disease by 22% according to a large-scale study from Tulane University. Lentils are rich in soluble fiber and can reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol.
9. Whole Grains: three servings of whole grains per day rather than one serving can reduce the risk of death from heart disease by 30%, according to the Iowa’s Women’s Study.
10. Tea Time: both green and black tea are high in flavonoids, which can inhibit the clumping of platelets, blood clotting cells. This can prevent constriction in the arteries, which controls blood pressure and maintains normal blood flow.
**If you would like additional training, nutrition, and healthy living tips, you can visit LauraMak.com for more inside secrets. Be sure to sign up for our FREE weekly ezine, Mondays with Mak Attack Fitness, created for the health conscious fitness enthusiast who wants to feel good on the inside and look great on the outside!
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