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Last week we started our campaign for heart health and encouraged everyone to wear red on Friday.
This week we want to continue the focus on the heart and how we can eat for overall good health. Most of us eat at least three times a day. We eat because food tastes good and because certain foods are good for us.
We also need to eat so that our body is provided with the energy it needs so we can breathe and function. Choosing nutritious foods helps us to maintain an overall healthy body and protects us against various illnesses, disorders and chronic diseases such as heart disease.
Diet and nutrition can also help reduce our high blood pressure and lower cholesterol. It’s never too late to start eating well.
Here are some eat smart steps for a healthy heart:
— Eat a variety of nutritious foods including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy protein and low fat dairy.
— Don’t skip breakfast. Remember we are “break”ing the fast we were on while we slept. We need to fuel up in the mornings.
— Control your portion sizes.
— Everything in moderation. We don’t have to skip food groups, just eat sensibly.
— Drink more water.
— Eat good fat like what’s found in vegetable oils, salmon, flaxseed and walnuts. Monounsaturated fats are also good choices in the form of olive and canola oils.
— Say no to sodium.
— Eat less sugar.
— Eat more whole grains; make half your selections whole grains.
— Eat smart while eating out.
Making healthy eating choices not only provides the necessary nutrients that your body needs to function every day, but it also helps prevent future illness and chronic disease. Why not start today?
For more information on Heart Health contact the Clark County Extension Office at 744-4682.
Jennifer Howard is the Clark County Extension Service agent for family and consumer sciences.