Heart Health: What Are You Willing To Do?

February is American Heart Month. You may have noticed all the red worn on February 3, as people came together to celebrate and educate on healthy hearts through Go Red Day for Women.

What is heart disease? According to the National Heart, Lung, Blood Institute (NHLBI):

Coronary heart disease - often simply called heart disease - is the main form of heart disease. It is a disorder of the blood vessels of the heart that can lead to heart attack. A heart attack happens when an artery becomes blocked, preventing oxygen and nutrients from getting to the heart. Heart disease is one of several cardiovascular disease, which are diseases of the heart and blood system. Other cardiovascular diseases include stroke, high blood pressure, angina (chest pain), and rheumatic heart disease.

One reason some women aren't too concerned about heart disease is that they think it can be "cured" with surgery or medication. This is a myth. Heart disease is a lifelong condition--once you get it, you'll always have it. True, procedures such as bypass surgery and angioplasty can help blood and oxygen flow to the heart more easily. But the arteries remain damaged, which means you are more likely to have a heart attack. What's more, the condition of your blood vessels will steadily worsen unless you make changes in your daily habits. Many women die of complications from heart disease, or become permanently disabled. That's why it is so vital to take action to prevent and control this disease. (More information is available on cardiovascular diseases in NHLBI's Diseases and Conditions Index.)


Join me in pledging to practice good heart health habits in February and beyond. Look through the list below to decide what commitments you could make to improve your health and the health of your family.

I will avoid saturated fats.  Sources of saturated fat include: Fatty meat Poultry skin Whole milk Lard Coconut oil Palm kernel oil Palm oil Butter Cream Cottonseed oil I will read ingredient lists to make sure that the foods I choose do not contain partially hydrogenated oils. These are trans fats. I will choose healthier sources of fat. Choose: Olive oil Canola oil Walnut oil Nuts Seeds Avocados I will eat fatty fish at least two times each week.  The following are fatty fish: Salmon Tuna Mackerel Bluefish Mullet Anchovies Herring Lake trout Sardines If you do not like fish, take a fish oil supplement that contains eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is not as good. Your supplement should provide at least 1 gram (g)/day. I will decrease the amount of sugar that I consume. I will eat several sources of soluble fiber each day. Good sources include: Citrus fruits Apples Pears Prunes Peaches Plums Barley Oats Legumes Broccoli Brussels sprouts Carrots I will increase my intake of foods that contain calcium and vitamin D. If you do not think that you can get enough calcium and vitamin D from your diet, take a daily supplement. Good sources of calcium include: Milk Milk products Fortified orange juice Fortified breads Fortified cereals Beans Dried figs Calcium-fortified tofu Canned salmon with bones Almonds Carnation® Instant Breakfast Ovaltine® Dark-green leafy vegetables Broccoli I will eat plenty of potassium-rich foods. These include: Potatoes Sweet potatoes Bananas Oranges Halibut Lima beans Tuna Swiss chard Acorn squash Tomatoes Watermelon Grapes Raisins Pistachios Flounder Parsnips Pinto beans Wheat germ Brussels sprouts Prunes Spinach Salmon Cantaloupe Lentils Milk Milk products I will commit to consuming more plant stanols/sterols. I will eat the recommended amount every day. I will eat more fresh herbs. I will eat several servings of nuts each week. The best kinds of nuts are: Walnuts Almonds Brazil nuts Pecans Pistachios I will use garlic, onions, and leeks often when preparing food. I will choose cereals that contain more than 5 g of fiber/serving. Good choices include: Raisin bran Shredded wheat Grape-Nuts Fiber One® What did you commit to? I will avoid saturated fats. I will read ingredient lists to make sure that the foods I choose do not contain partially hydrogenated oils. I will choose healthier sources of fat. I will eat fatty fish at least two times each week. I will decrease the amount of sugar that I consume. I will eat several sources of soluble fiber each day. I will increase my intake of foods that contain calcium and vitamin D I will eat plenty of potassium-rich foods. I will commit to consuming more plant stanols/sterols. I will eat more fresh herbs. I will eat several servings of nuts each week. I will use garlic, onions, and leeks often when preparing food. I will choose cereals that contain more than 5 g of fiber/serving. Resource provided by RD411 and Ensure.