In celebration of National Heart Month I cannot resist reminding you about the significance diet and activity play in promoting a healthy heart. Heart disease is the number one killer of Americans and affects both men and women. Genetics do play a role, however a heart healthy diet and and regular activity can help minimize the effects and complications of heart disease. Whether you have heart disease in your family or not, it’s still good to follow a heart healthy eating plan. Highlights of the diet include:
Lots of fruits and veggies! I’m sure you already knew this one, but the benefits of getting your 5 a day servings of fruits and veggies are worth reminding you again. Most of us know this, the hard part is doing it. Try adding them to your meals, have fruit as a snack, get a double serving to help you reach this goal.
Fiber! Fiber is very beneficial in combating heart disease. Incorporating more whole grains (and fruits, veggies, and beans/lentils) into your diet will increase your fiber and aid in heart health. Oatmeal, brown rice, wild rice, whole grain noodles, whole grain breads, and even popcorn are considered whole grains. Aim to get at least 25-35 g/day.
Choose lean proteins. Decreasing the amount of saturated fat in your diet will help reduce plaque buildup. Choose white meat poultry without the skin, 90% or greater lean hamburger, fish, beans, etc….stay away from processed meats! Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, herring, and trout offer additional benefits as they are loaded with healthy omega 3 fatty acids.
Choose healthy fats. Incorporating more plant fats such as canola oil and olive oil into your diet and reducing your intake of saturated and trans fats has been shown to improve heart health. You want to choose foods that are lower than 5-8g of total fat per serving and <3g saturated and trans fat per serving. Choosing low fat dairy products will help reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet as well.
Hold the salt! Excess sodium can increase blood pressure and cause heart failure. Aim to keep your sodium intake below 2400mg/day. You can do this by doing more home cooking, avoiding boxed or packaged goods, cooking with salt free seasonings, and not using table salt.
Exercise! At least 30 minutes of exercise a day has been shown to improve heart health. If you can do more, the better!
Making small changes or substitutions will help you have a healthier heart and reduce risk for disease. Reading labels is really essential to help you make good choices, so take some time in the grocery store and really examine the products to ensure you’re making healthy choices!
Happy Valentine’s Day everybody! Sarah and I were outside a week ago before the really below zero temps hit. Now we have been working out inside for the last 10 days or so. We can still figure out what to do! We have a bike, and elliptical, and a treadmill, plus our weights.
Even though it is cold outside, you can still figure out things to get some activity. We ordered a heart shaped pepperoni pizza for the weekend…my favorite! Spent the rest of the weekend at home, with each other, and Dakota inside, since it was still really cold out. Her flowers survived getting home from clinic as well.
It was a good weekend to spend inside. There are always things to get done at home, and time to do it since it was tough to be outside. I did manage to get out and attempt to take some pictures.
They were brief times, then back to the vehicle to get warm. There is always something different to see, you just have to pay attention…and that goes for everything. Be creative, come up with new things to do, and don’t waste the time we have. Spend it with those who mean the most to you as well.
Here is wishing everybody a Happy Valentine’s Day! Spend it with the one most important to you. Make each other feel needed, and appreciated. You would have a built in training partner as well, so keep moving together as well, everybody!
Do you have your Valentines ready to go? Besides a lot of love in the day, Valentines day is known for chocolate! The one item that seems to make everyone happy, but may not be the healthiest of treats for us to enjoy. This Valentine’s day you can enjoy your delicious treat without feeling guilty. Although chocolate may not seem healthy, there are some perks to eating chocolate. Dark chocolate is good for the heart and lowers high blood pressure. So when you’re thinking of getting your loved one that nice box of chocolates, maybe go for a box of Dark Dove Chocolates. If you don’t like eating the dark chocolate plain you can melt the chocolate and dip it in strawberries. It is a treat that will leave your taste buds wanting more and you will find it easy to prepare. If you want to stay sugar free, try making sugar free gelatins in a shape of a heart. Add fat free whip cream on top for a little extra punch to the dessert. If you want choices and variety to your dessert try a chocolate fondue. Melt chocolate and choose sides to dip into the chocolate. Some choices of sides could be bananas, strawberries, pretzels, pineapple, marshmallows, dried apricots, pear slices, apples, or any of your favorite snack foods! If you want to add more to your sweet tooth, try a sherbet ice cream with a dark chocolate topping. If you crave a saltier valentine’s day treat then you can try a trail mix with mixed nuts, sunflower seeds, raisins, pretzels, marshmallows, dark chocolate m&m’s, or a low fat candy such as Twizzlers.
I started off the weekend Saturday morning riding the exercise bike at home. It was too cold to go outside. But that did not stop Dakota from trying to convince me to go outside! She sat by me for the majority of my 15 mile ride, hoping that we would go outside afterwards. She walks twice on most days, once in the morning with Sarah, and then in the evening with me. She absolutely loves it, but it was just too cold to take much of a chance with the wind chill, so she hung out all day in the house with us. Normally she would be outside during the day in the kennel, which is attached to the garage, and is heated, but we were home, so we kept her in with us.
Right away Saturday morning, even though I got to sleep a little later, I still got my Dakota wake up call. “Time to get up Dad!” Still hoping all morning she was going to go for a walk. But, she got to find out what it was like hanging inside with us all day. I think she had a pretty good time too.
Always around for attention! Later in the day it was time to take a little nap.
Just hanging out with me, dreaming of the Vikings one day winning a Super Bowl! Hope is a good thing! It could happen someday, right? It won’t this weekend, so we will be Chiefs fan for the weekend. I managed to get out for a little bit for some pictures, with lots of frequent breaks back into my truck to warm up. The sun dogs were impressive Saturday Morning.
They were very cool to see! The rest of the weekend we stayed in side and got things done at home, with Dakota by one of our sides the whole time. She always wants to be right in the thick of things. She is part of this family.
She is hard to resist with a face like this! I promise, when we get at least closer to zero, we will be back out again walking. We have had a pretty good Winter so far. It just decided to get really cold this weekend. We may have to go anyway, but very short distances, warm up, then go again. Sunday will be the worst, so will have to see what Monday brings. We have to be creative with how we are going to get our activity in, just like everybody needs to as well. Just come up with a plan B, and go with it. This is a time to be creative as well. We got to spend the weekend with the dogs, both with Dakota inside, and the Sun Dogs outside! Keep moving everybody!
We have had a mild winter in regards to temperatures, but we haven’t seen the sun much!! It can certainly wear a person out mentally and physically. When you’re feeling the winter blues, it can really get you down in the dumps which can result in overeating, less activity, and depression. Check out the tips below for overcoming the winter blues!
•Get active! Activity produces natural endorphins that boost mood. I was exercising already, but to help ward off the winter blues, I have increased the amount of exercise and added some strength training to my routine. Try getting at least 30 minutes of activity in a day…if you can do more, the better.
•Eat Right: healthy eating will make you feel healthier inside and out. Aim to get at least 5 fruits and veggies a day, include whole grains, lean meats, and healthy fats. Vitamin D has been proven to aid in SAD (seasonal affective disorder) so be sure to get your 3 servings of low fat milk or dairy products. If you aren’t a milk drinker you may consider taking a daily multivitamin with calcium and vitamin D or a vitamin D supplement. Please ask your dietitian, pharmacist, or doctor for the correct dosage.
•Spice up your life: Sometimes getting a new shirt, going to the movies, reading a new and exciting book, or listening to some new tunes will help spice up your life and add some more excitement to your life.
•Get out! Plan a family/friend outing –can be COVID safe such as an outdoor activity when it’s nice! It’s easy to dwell in our sorrows by becoming a hermit and staying inside. We need to get out and get some socialization!
•Think Positive! Dwelling on the negatives can sure take a person down. Instead think about the positives in your life. Tell yourself one positive thing about yourself and your self-worth daily. Focus on the blessings in your life!
•If you feel you are suffering from the blues very seriously then I encourage you to contact your physician for further assistance as we can help you with this!
Stay positive, eat right, exercise, and get out…those winter blues will be gone before you know it and spring will be here soon!
