For a lot of causes, February is my least favourite month. It’s chilly. And over time, I’ve needed to say goodbye to a number of family members, together with my mother, throughout this month.
On the similar time, it’s good to assume that March is simply across the nook, even when Mr. Groundhog tells us the nice and cozy days of spring shall be delayed this 12 months.
Valentine’s Day can be in February, and I do like that American Coronary heart Month coincides with this vacation of affection. A method we will love our hearts, says the Facilities for Illness Management, is to maintain our blood stress in a traditional vary. Why? Hypertension (hypertension) usually predicts an impending stroke or a hurting coronary heart.
On their record of 28 Days In the direction of a Wholesome Coronary heart, the Nationwide Coronary heart Lung and Blood Institute suggests day by day steps we will take to maintain our blood stress down and love our hearts. These are my three favorites:
1. Have a heart-healthy snack: nuts.
No, actually. A latest examine at Pennsylvania State College fed volunteers a banana muffin snack for a number of weeks. With out altering the remainder of their weight loss plan, then then switched their snack to 34 unsalted almonds (1.5 ounces) for a similar period of time. They discovered that the nut snack decreased dangerous LDL ldl cholesterol of their blood whereas protecting the identical or greater ranges of HDL (“good”) ldl cholesterol. That’s a double profit to maintain arteries open and prepared for the enterprise of life.
Walnuts, probably resulting from their greater quantity of the identical healthful fats present in olive oil, could also be notably useful for blood stress management, in response to a examine printed within the Journal of the American Coronary heart Affiliation. Purpose for 2 to a few ounces per week for this profit. (One ounce is about 1/4 cup so unfold the servings out over the week.)
Different nuts that confer well being advantages for our hearts embody hazelnuts, pine nuts, pistachios and cashews (unsalted, please). And regardless that peanuts usually are not formally “nuts,” they’ve been adopted into this heart-healthful group, in response to the newest Dietary Tips for People.
2. Minimize the salt.
An excessive amount of sodium makes the physique retain water and places stress (actually) on our arteries. Sure, I do know salt makes meals style good. So right here’s the excellent news: Many of the salt (sodium) we eat is already in our meals earlier than we ever choose up the shaker. Take at have a look at the vitamin label. If a meals has lower than 140 milligrams of sodium per serving, it’s low sodium. Trace: Recent meals are usually decrease in sodium than their packaged counterparts.
3. Dance for quarter-hour to your favourite music.
Sure! Bodily exercise that’s satisfying strengthens our coronary heart in addition to our temper. And oxygen and nutrient-rich blood flows simpler after we do a little bit of huff and puff.
Possibly February isn’t such a foul month in spite of everything.
(Barbara Intermill is a registered dietitian and licensed diabetes educator affiliated with Group Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. She is the writer of “Quinn-Important Diet” (Westbow Press, 2015). E mail her at to barbara@quinnessentialnutrition.com.)
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