Heart Healthy Tips from a Dietitian

Lunds and Byerly's Blog Lunds and Byerly's Blog

Posted by Janice Cox, registered dietitian at Byerly's Ridgedale
Monday, February 27, 2012

I recently attended a Mayo Clinic sponsored seminar “Improving Your Heart Health”. Their cardiologist speakers had great information I want to share with you! Think of the last time you went to the gas pump and filled your tank. You watched gallon after gallon go in until it finally clicked off. Your heart is also a pump, similar to that gas pump. How many gallons do you think it pumps each day? 50? 500? It’s actually 2,000 gallons a day! What a huge job for one small organ that works constantly! Let’s have a heart to heart on hearts:

Statistics

Heart disease is the #1 cause of death in men and women.
Since 1984, more women than men have died from heart disease.
More people die of heart disease than all forms of cancers.

The good news is heart disease is 80 – 90% preventable.

So, what can you do NOW to decrease your risk?

Here are my top eight suggestions for to improve your heart health TODAY!

1. GET UP AND MOVE! Current recommendations are to get 150 minutes per week of exercise. That’s 30 minutes, 5 times a week on average. While a great goal, most people don’t get anywhere near that amount. Good news is that research shows 10 minutes a day can make a difference in reducing elevated cholesterol, blood pressure and triglycerides.

2. Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. The wealth of nutrients and fiber this food group offers is incredibly valuable to our overall health. If you don’t like fruit, that’s ok, just eat more vegetables! The correct serving is the size of a tennis ball – so eat at least 5 “tennis balls” a day. Limit juice; eat the whole fruit to get the fiber.

3. Get adequate sleep. It’s not a luxury, it’s a necessity. Sleep also helps us manage our stress. Stress is tied to heart disease by increasing inflammation in the arteries.

4. Don’t smoke.

5. Watch your weight and get your BMI (body mass index) to 25 or below. Also, limit your simple sugars. Did you know 7% of calories in the US are consumed as pop with sugar?

6. Know your family history - know your numbers (blood pressure, triglycerides, cholesterol, blood sugar).

7. Know the symptoms of a heart attack and take them seriously if you experience them.

8. Make the change to drink more water and eat high fat fish at least twice a week or take a fish oil supplement with omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.

If you have questions or need help, I’m at Byerly’s Ridgedale at 952-541-1414. Feel free to call me or email me so we can schedule a free 30 minute appointment to have a more in-depth heart-to-heart.

Categories:
Health and Nutrition

Tags: diet health heart health

Hard cider – the sweet upgrade from beer Here to help with your pet needs

Comments

Hearing aid oklahoma commented:

12/28/2012 3:56 AM

I really appreciate this post. I have been seen all over for this! Thank goodness I found this on Yahoo. Thanks for sharing this post! Thanks again
Lunds and Byerly's commented:

12/31/2012 9:44 AM

Thank you! Glad we could provide some helpful information!
creativebioscience.com commented:

2/27/2013 7:21 AM

Recruiting top health care professionals takes powers of persuasion, both in person and in writing. It also requires research into the health care profession to learn about prevailing national salary statistics and how to use them as an incentive in recruiting. To recruit top professionals, you also need to offer them a package of benefits and perks, along with potential for real personal and professional growth. Thanks.
www.weightlosspunch.com commented:

3/6/2013 2:51 AM

More superior dentists working mean more patients that can be seen. If possible, work out a schedule so that your business can be open seven days a week. Patients tend to be loyal if you relieve their toothache on a Sunday morning. Thanks.
hcg diet plan commented:

3/18/2013 7:35 AM

Start with ingredients that are high in fiber and low in fat. This is the basis of a diet for dogs to lose weight. You can alter any recipe you have for homemade dog food by increasing the amounts of those high fiber ingredients and lessening the amount of fatty foods that you add in. Thanks.
Konsumen Cerdas Paham Perlindungan Konsumen commented:

4/3/2013 9:03 PM

thanks
Personal Injury Lawyer commented:

4/4/2013 4:27 PM

I think it is so important to eat fruits and vegetables. This is definitely a very important tip that you offer here. So important for your health here. Great job on these tips.
Narconon Fresh Start Reviews commented:

4/8/2013 1:46 AM

It is very useful health plan for heart patients. Because fish fruits and vegetable are very useful for heart patients.
holitter lines fonts commented:

4/22/2013 2:38 AM

It was difficult to find vegetarian options to satisfy those cravings. But with the help of a few frozen food brands, cookbooks, and restaurants you can conjure up some soulful veggie-filled cuisine. Thanks.
rounded fonts commented:

4/23/2013 2:20 AM

Cardiovascular disease refers to a range of diseases that can affect the heart such as blood vessel and coronary artery disease, heart rhythm problems, heart infections and congenital heart defects. Seek professional help to determine your risk factors for heart disease. Thanks.
organic search engine optimization service commented:

4/29/2013 7:12 AM

Eating fruits, vegetables and whole grains can prevent heart disease by controlling weight and blood pressure. A diet rich in fiber protects the heart because it lowers blood cholesterol and prevents diabetes by regulating blood sugar levels. Thanks.

Add your comment

Name
Email
Comment

Please confirm you are human by typing the text you see in this image:

Welcome to Our Blog

It was created with a simple goal in mind: to provide you with a heaping scoop of mealtime inspiration and food education from our passionate and knowledgeable staff. Our contributors come from every corner of our company and are truly experts in their field.

All of us are here for you, so keep the conversations going by using the “Comments” feature at the end of each post to provide additional expertise, ask questions or share your thoughts.

Thanks for stopping by!