Q & A for A Heart-Healthier You!

Why is being heart-healthy important?
Being heart-healthy is essential for maintaining your overall health and happiness.  It is especially important to be conscious of one’s heart-healthbecause the majority of people underestimate how prevalent heart disease is, especially among women.  Each year more women develop heart problems than do men, and heart disease is the leading cause of death among women.  In order to prevent these common and often life-threatening problems, we must learn how to lead more heart-healthy lifestyles.
 
What are the best ways to prepare heart-healthy meals?
Obviously, fried foods should be avoided.  Instead, try sautéing or stir-frying.  One of my favorite heart-healthy meals is stir-fried chicken breast with mixed vegetables (red peppers, broccoli, ginger, and baby corn are a great combo!) and a small amount of soy sauce.  As the warm weather approaches, grilling is another great way to prepare heart-healthy foods.

What are some heart-healthy foods?
There are plenty of heart-healthy foods. Here is a short list of some of my favorites:
1.  Papaya
2.  Walnuts
3.  Oatmeal
4.  Salmon
5.  Brown rice
6.  Blueberries
7.  Spinach
8.  Red wine
9.  Tomatoes
10.  Sweet Potato
11.  Dark chocolate
 

What are the key components to a heart-healthy lifestyle?
As we have all heard before, the two most important parts of a heart-healthy lifestyle is eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise.  Your diet should include plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain products.  Additionally, it should be low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol.  The best way to maintain a heart-healthy lifestyle is to vary your diet and exercise plan.  Eat a variety of foods and partake in different types of physical activity throughout the week.
 
Quick tips:

• When choosing sources of protein, look for lean meats such as chicken breast, lean ground beef, and pork tenderloin.  It is also important to keep serving size in mind with meats (one serving is 3 oz. cooked, which is about the size of a deck of cards).
• You should get no more than 30% of your weekly calories from fat (and no more than 10% from saturated fat).
• Look for foods that are low in sodium and cholesterol.
• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables!  (Quenchers at the gym makes this a whole lot easier!)
• Lastly, don’t view being heart-healthy as an obstacle or a chore.  Take pride in your new habits and know they are making for a happier, healthier you!

Photo Sources:
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http://pcfma.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/kidneydiettips_davitab…
http://www.healblog.net/wp-content/uploads/exercise-heart.gif