How to Be Heart-Healthy for Valentine’s Day and Beyond
02/01/22
Valentine’s Day is a good reminder about another important holiday: American Heart Month. Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to become more aware of heart-healthy actions you can take to improve your overall wellness. When you focus on improving the health of this vital organ, you feel better, have more energy, and reduce your risk of other diseases.
Adding Plant-Based Food to Your Diet
According to the American Heart Association, “For adults both young and old, eating a nutritious, plant-based diet may lower the risk for heart attacks and other types of cardiovascular disease.”
Two studies were published in the Journal of the American Heart Association regarding plant-based diets: One found that eating a plant-centered diet in young adulthood lowered the risk in middle age for heart attack, stroke, heart failure and several other cardiovascular conditions. A second found eating plant-based foods that lower cholesterol levels reduced the risk of heart disease in postmenopausal women.
While the research emphasizes eating more fruits and vegetables, it doesn’t suggest strict vegetarianism is necessary to reap heart-healthy benefits. A heart-healthy diet could include “animal products in moderation from time to time, such as non-fried poultry, non-fried fish, eggs and low-fat dairy,” said the lead researcher, Yuni Choi.
Dark Chocolate is Good For Your Heart (in Moderation)
Here’s some good news for Valentine’s Day! Most dark chocolate (look for 80-85% cacao on the label) is high in flavonoids, which are associated with a lower risk of heart disease. Some studies suggest chocolate or cocoa consumption is associated with a lower risk of insulin resistance and high blood pressure in adults. The American Heart Association noted that to really enhance the effects of dark chocolate, add almonds. In a 2017 study, researchers found that eating raw almonds, dark chocolate and cocoa helped lower “bad” LDL cholesterol in people who are overweight or obese. The bottom line: dark chocolate can be part of a heart-healthy diet, but don’t overdo it thinking you’re eating for your health.
Incorporate Daily Movement
Does “daily movement” mean sit all day at your computer, then go to the gym and run for an hour to you? While getting a daily workout in is great, sitting for 10 hours, and being up for one is not. To be heart-healthy, add more movement in throughout the day. Walk around while you take calls, take a stretch break, go up and down the stairs a few times during the day. Want to keep the Valentine’s Day vibes going? Schedule a daily walk (without phones) with your significant other, a friend or a pet. It will provide some important time to chat and catch up on whatever’s happening with work, your family, or your relationship. Even Fido can act as a listening ear!
Go to Bed Early
Regardless of other risk factors such as your age and overall health, not getting sufficient shuteye can increase your risk of heart disease and many other health issues. Aim for at least seven and preferably closer to eight or nine hours every night of solid, uninterrupted sleep. Make your bedtime about 30 minutes before whatever time you calculated to get the hours of sleep you need before you wake up for the day. The 30 minutes gives you time to settle down and fall asleep.
If you find yourself on your phone scrolling late at night – stop – preferably two hours before bed. Going through emails or social media right before bed can wreak havoc on your sleep as you think about work tasks, or lament about things that people post. And, with Valentine’s Day in mind, endless scrolling can be a detriment to your relationship. Unwinding by chatting about your day will make your partner (or your kids or pets), and your heart happier.
Reduce Stress
You can’t eliminate stress, but you can find ways to decrease it. How you do that depends on what works for you. Meditation, yoga, working out, reading, or watching a funny movie can all boost your mood while being heart healthy.
Another way to reduce stress is to outsource some of your daily tasks.
At Foodom, we help people reduce stress by outsourcing your meal prep for the week. Hiring a chef to meal prep a week’s worth of healthy food takes away the daily burden of thinking what to buy at the store, going to the store, cooking the food, and cleaning up. It also allows you to pursue hobbies, go for a walk, meditate, or any other activity you’d like to do that brings you more enjoyment.
And, Foodom offers many meals that are heart-healthy! Check out our favorites:
(Please note, these are suggestions based on general heart health, but have not been reviewed by a dietician. If you are on a strict heart health diet, please have these reviewed by your physician).
If you are new to Foodom, and would like to book meals, read this first – how it works.
We hope you have a Happy Valentine’s Day and will incorporate some of these tips into your routine to help you have a healthy heart!
