Nourish

Welcome to The Healthy Beat! This is a new blog by Corazon. The purpose of this blog is to give you a reliable resource to help you stay on track to having a healthy heart. Important factors in keeping your heart strong include diet, exercise, reducing stress, and improving your relationships. 

Let's start with diet. Nobody likes to hear the word 'diet.' At the very mention of the word diet most people cringe. Merriam-Webster defines diet as habitual nourishment. In order for something to grow we have to properly nourish it. Would you water your plants with Diet Coke or a Mountain Dew? No way! So let's talk about some ways we can nourish our heart. 

Beaumont Health explains in the article "Daily Habits to Prevent Heart Disease," that what you put into your body powers your body and offers it the nutrients it needs to thrive. A heart-healthy diet doesn't have to be boring and bland. There are many recipes and cookbooks available that can make it easy for you to be heart-conscious when you eat. 

What does your diet look like? Do you eat a lot of fruit and vegetables? How about whole grains? Do you consume a lot of red meat? How much alcohol do you drink? How much saturated fat was in that cheeseburger you picked up for lunch from the drive through window?

It's so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily lives that we often don't plan ahead give ourselves enough time to sit down and enjoy a healthy, home prepared meal. Or maybe it's that you don't know what to prepare so you just order from the fastest, cheapest restaurant because you're starving, your kids are starving, and all you can think about is everyone's empty stomachs. 

The Mayo Clinic writes in the article "Heart-Healthy Diet: 8 Steps to Prevent Heart Disease," that limiting how much saturated and trans fats you eat is an important step to reduce your blood cholesterol and lower your risk of coronary artery disease. A high blood cholesterol level can lead to a buildup of plaques in your arteries, called atherosclerosis, which can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. 

Take a step back and examine your diet. The American Heart Association recommends eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, skinless poultry and fish, nuts and legumes, and using non-tropic vegetable oils such as canola or olive oil. 

Think about trying a different fruit from the grocery store this week. Instead of grabbing that handful of crunchy chips from the pantry when you are feeling snacky, grab some baby carrots from the fridge instead. Plan ahead what you will have for dinner and pull that frozen boneless, skinless chicken breast out of the freezer before you go to work. Make your sandwich using whole wheat bread, add some tomato or cucumber, and skip the mayonnaise. 

There are so many different choices when it comes to what we eat. Eat to nourish your body.

Eating a heart healthy diet is so important when it comes to reducing your risk of heart problems. Start today and make little changes. 

Our goal at Corazon is to keep the hearts of our community members healthy.

Resources

Cardio Smart

Daily Habits to Prevent Heart Disease

Diet

Heart Healthy Diet: 8 Steps to Prevent Heart Disease

The American Heart Association

DISCLAIMER: This blog has been written for a class assignment. It is not a real blog.