February is heart health month, an important opportunity to take a look at the way that you’re caring for your cardiovascular health. From diet and nutrition to fitness and exercise there are many ways that each of us make decisions affecting our heart health on a daily basis.
Nutrition
When we’ve got a busy work week or the going gets tough, one of the first mistakes that many of us make relate to diet and nutrition. Either we’ll slack on meal prep and leave ourselves to grabbing unhealthy alternatives in the nearest lunch break room or cafeteria, or we’ll make the unconscious decision to use unhealthy foods as an emotional crutch. In both scenarios, it’s likely that those foods we turn to will be high in sodium and saturated fats which can be bad for our cardiovascular health.
Sodium and saturated fats are the subject of much debate in the news and online. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, most of the sodium consumed (77%) comes from processed foods sold in grocery stores and fast food outlets. Only about 11% of sodium is added while cooking or at the table. When you find yourself looking for quick and accessible sustenance, try to choose whole, unprocessed foods to reduce your sodium intake. Guidelines recommend less than 2300 mg per day.
It’s also important to do your best to avoid trans fats (hydrogenated oils) that are often found in processed foods and to limit your intake of saturated fats. These fats don't offer heart health benefits the same way unsaturated fats do. In order to increase your intake of healthy fats, it will be necessary to cut back on sources of saturated fats, including fatty cuts of meat, full-fat dairy, and of course, deep-fried foods. On the other hand, good fats including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats promote heart health and can be found in a variety of different foods, including nuts, seeds, avocado, and olive oil.
As the body of evidence in nutrition science grows, the official position of the Heart & Stroke Foundation on these topics is updated to help you make healthy choices.
Exercise
In recent years, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts have gained momentum as a training method to improve heart health. Research from the American Heart Association shows that short, high intensity exercise has the same cardiovascular benefits as traditional continuous, long duration aerobic training. Interval training can be completed in about half the time of traditional aerobic workouts. So, when time is a problem or we find ourselves making excuses, the ease of interval training is the perfect solution! HIIT training does, however, require an established level of fitness to start. Therefore, it is best suited to those with experience and who enjoy pushing through challenging workouts.
Alternatively, aerobic training as a way to manage heart health requires minimal planning to get started, it’s low impact, appropriate for all fitness levels, and it can be performed at a sustained, comfortable pace. If your new to regular exercise, a great way introduce intervals to your fitness routine is to alternate a 2 minute leisurely walk with a 2 minute brisk walk.
The good news? Heart healthy actions can be taken daily—with no preparation or planning required! Set aside a few minutes each day to get your heart pumping and help lessen your risk for heart disease. Exercises like those provided in our High Intensity Interval Training Poster can be done anywhere or anytime – even on your lunch break at work.
Happy heart month!
