Heart health has always been important to our family. Callie has had two open heart surgeries in the past 15 years, so it has always been top of mind for us to build long term healthy (heart!) habits for our family. We have tried to focus on healthy meals and snacks to help prevent heart disease (and its complications) with most of our meals consisting of plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins and fewer processed foods.
As February is the American Heart Month, we wanted to share some quick (and easy) things to add to your diet to improve your heart health!
1. Berries
Berries are packed with antioxidant polyphenols, which help reduce the risk of heart disease and improve cardiovascular health, according to research. We love adding them to smoothies, doing a simple fruit salad, or enjoying them with some simple whip cream for dessert.
2. Avocados
Healthy fats, like those found in avocado, are essential to a healthy heart. Despite avocados’ high fat content, the fat is heart healthy and monounsaturated, and is also rich in fiber, potassium and magnesium, all nutrients associated with heart health. I love a good avocado mayo, adding avocado to salads or the cliche avo-toast!
3. Walnuts
Regularly eating nuts, particularly walnuts, is associated with lower risk of heart disease and heart disease mortality.
Walnuts are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, specifically alpha-linolenic acid, and are beneficial for improving cardiovascular health. They reduce inflammation, improve cholesterol balance, reduce blood pressure, and reduce risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease.
I add walnuts to trail mix, my homemade granola recipe, and as a topping for yogurt!
4. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are loaded with potassium, fiber, folate, vitamins C and K and lycopene — an antioxidant that can help protect against heart disease.
I think this superfood is the easiest to add to your daily meals–hello, spaghetti sauce! Or slice some up on your salad, add it to your burger, or maybe even a nice caprese salad!
5. Oily fish
Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines and lake trout are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which aid in lowering blood pressure and reducing fats in the bloodstream.
Eating fish fights heart disease in several ways. The omega-3 fats in fish protect the heart against the development of erratic and potentially deadly cardiac rhythm disturbances. They also lower blood pressure and heart rate, improve blood vessel function, and, at higher doses, lower triglycerides and may ease inflammation.
Callie has really gotten into salmon lately–she ate it THREE nights in a row on our cruise! We love to make it in the air fryer or on a cedar plank.
You can follow us (and peep the recipes we love!) on Pinterest at The Princess and The Prosthetic
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