Good nutrition helps you get to the "heart" of your health
It's National Nutrition Month and, in line with our "Rev Up Your Heart" theme for March, we will focus on the importance of sound nutrition to maintaining a healthy heart.
It is widely known that there's a direct link between chronic conditions, such as heart disease, and diets high in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. But you can take control by learning why it is important to make healthy food choices and then to regularly select foods that can help you manage your health and minimize your health risks.
If your eating habits include high-fat, high-sodium foods, the good news is that it's never too late to make new and better choices. In fact, there are two easy ways to begin to significantly alter your eating habits: Pay closer attention to food labels and broaden your food choices to include more whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits. The American Heart Association recommends you eat a wide variety of foods each day from all of the basic food groups, from grains, to protein to produce - even some fat. And when selecting packaged foods, be sure to review the label so you can choose items low in saturated fat, total fat, cholesterol and sodium.
Face the facts about fats
The major types of fats in the foods we eat are saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and trans fatty acids. Saturated fats and trans fats raise blood cholesterol. Your dietary cholesterol also raises blood cholesterol. A high level of cholesterol in the blood is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, which can lead to a heart attack, and can also increase the risk of a stroke.
Limit foods high in saturated fat, trans fat and/or cholesterol, such as whole-milk dairy products, fatty meats, tropical oils, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and egg yolks. Instead choose fat-free or lower fat options, which automatically reduce your fat intake and can minimize the cholesterol you consume. Remember to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables and items such as whole-wheat pasta, brown rice and other products that contain whole grains.
Learn more about the facts about fats.
Cholesterol
Typically the body makes all the cholesterol it needs to function appropriately, so you don't need to consume much more of it.
Foods from animals (especially egg yolks, meat, poultry, shellfish and whole- and reduced-fat milk and dairy products) contain cholesterol. Foods from plants (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds) generally don't contain cholesterol.
The American Heart Association recommends that you limit your average daily cholesterol intake to less than 300 mg of cholesterol per day. For example, a 3 oz. hamburger is just over 300 mg. If you have heart disease, limit your daily intake to less than 200 mg., the equivalent of a fresh large egg.
Know your numbers
The American Heart Association also suggests that everyone age 20 and older get a fasting "lipoprotein profile" every five years. A lipoprotein profile gives information about total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol and triglycerides. This test is done after a nine- to 12-hour fast without food, liquids or pills.
Our local LifeSteps events provide free screenings for LDL, HDL and cholesterol. To prepare for the LDL and triglycerides screenings, you should not eat or drink anything other than water for at least nine hours prior to the test. If, for safety or other reasons, you can't fast for that long, then be aware that the results for those particular tests will not be as accurate as would fasting results.
To reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke, work with your healthcare professionals to monitor and maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Even if your cholesterol levels are good now, it's not too early to develop healthy habits that can help keep your numbers in check.
Learn more about monitoring and managing your cholesterol.
Shake the salt habit
Healthy adults should eat less than 2,300 mg of sodium a day. This is equivalent to about 1 teaspoon of sodium chloride, otherwise known as salt. Not surprisingly, many of us exceed these daily limits, putting ourselves at greater risk for high blood pressure, among the leading causes of death in the United States.
How can you avoid over consumption of salt? Packaged and processed foods tend to be higher in sodium. Instead, choose fresh, frozen or canned food items without added salts. Or try the following:
- Select unsalted nuts or seeds, dried beans, peas and lentils.
- Limit the amount of salty snacks you eat, like chips and pretzels.
- Use spices, herbs and fresh fruit juices to enhance the taste of your food.
Learn more about high blood pressure.
The Good Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are poly-unsaturated fatty acids essential to human health that cannot be manufactured by the body. They must be obtained through diet or supplementation. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include:
- Fatty fish (salmon, sardines and herring)
- Green leafy vegetables (spinach)
- Nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, pine nuts and flax seed)
- Cooking oils (flax seed oil, canola oil and soybean oil)
Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) offer the following health benefits:
- Reduce the risk of coronary heart disease
- Improve blood circulation
- Lower high blood pressure
- Lower triglyceride levels
- Increase HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol)