With Valentine's Day right around the corner, let's talk about keeping your heart healthy!

Eat Your Heart Out: Healthy Diet

Maintaining healthy eating habits is so important for reducing your risk of heart disease, but also important for healthy growth and development. Eating too many calories will lead to gaining weight, which is bad for your heart.

Limit Sodium

Diets high in sodium can cause problems with blood pressure and in turn make your heart work harder. Try to limit your sodium by taking the salt shaker off the table and not adding any additional salt to your food.

Choose Healthy Fats

Saturated fat can be found in butter, cheese, red meats, palm and coconut oils. They are often found solid at room temperature. Try to limit your intake by enjoying red meat 1-2 times/week and using olive oil where appropriate.

Choose...

• Lean meats, such as turkey and chicken
• Low-fat dairy products, such as low-fat cheeses, milk and yogurt
• Whole grains, such as whole grain bread, oatmeal and brown rice
• Lots and lots of fruits and vegetables!
• Less sodium, use reduced sodium canned soups and take the salt shaker off the table

Put Your Heart Into It: Healthy Diet

Maintain a healthy lifestyle with physical activity and working with your doctor to stay on top of appropriate tests and screenings.

Stay Active

Be sure to incorporate some activity into your schedule every day. Have a goal of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity. If you can't do it all at one time, break it into smaller chunks of time, getting 10-15 minutes here and there will definitely add up over the course of the day. If getting your heart rate up is new to you, start small and increase your time and intensity gradually.

Maintain healthy weight

Keep a healthy weight or make small changes to lose weight. Small and gradual changes tend to become habits and can lead to big results.

Talk to your doctor

Be sure to stay up to date on current tests and screenings to make sure you are aware of the risks of heart disease and other cardiovascular risks.

Limit screen time

Reduce time sitting in front of the TV, phone or computer. Keep screen time to less than 2 hours each day.

Avoid sugar

Sugary foods and beverages are not only high in calories, but are also inflammatory. Be sure to limit sugar sources including candy and certain drinks.

Let us know what heart - healthy changes you are trying out in your life!