I'd like to share some simple steps that can help you maintain a healthy heart, prolong your life and improve your general health and well-being.
Factors that affect heart health:
1. High Cholesterol
2. Increased Body Fat
3. High Blood Pressure
4. Smoking
5. High Alcohol Intake
Foods rich in fat and cholesterol are among the primary causes of heart disease.
Studies show that a low-fat, high-fiber, plant-based or vegetarian diet can help reduce LDL "bad" cholesterol by over 30 percent.
Lower your cholesterol
Cholesterol and fat can clog your arteries, and reduce the free flow of blood and oxygen to the body.
You can reduce your risk of heart disease by as much as 50 percent if you lower your blood cholesterol by up to 20 percent.
To help clean your artery walls:
Try to lower your cholesterol levels to about 160mg percent or less
Use more low-fat, high fiber, plant-based foods daily - potatoes, beans, grains, roots, and vegetables.
How to reduce fat in the diet
Did you know that men who are overweight increase their risk of a heart attack by as much as five times they the time they reach age 60?
1. Drink healthier milk:
Choose from
Skim milk
Oat or rice milk
Almond, coconut, cashew milk
2. Eat more fresh fruits instead of pies, ice-cream, and other desserts
3. Reduce your portion sizes
You can reduce the portion sizes of some of your favorite foods and still enjoy them. If you eat meat, reduce your normal portions by at least half.
4. Cut out high-fat dairy products like cheese, butter, eggs, salad dressings, oil, and meat. These foods contain no dietary fiber.
5. Learn to make your own foods more often.
6. Lose those extra pounds:
Eat more foods in their natural state.
Consume whole fruits instead of juices.
Reduce refined foods and animal products.
7. Exercise regularly:
Set up a consistent regimen to keep moving.
Some good choices include:
Gardening
Swimming
Stretching
Walking (exercises every major muscle in the body at the same time)
Dancing
Cycling
Jogging
Sports and games
8. Stop smoking and consuming alcohol.
Cigarette smoke and alcohol build up toxins and make the heart work harder.
Alcohol can help increase your risk of stroke and hypertension and can also damage the walls of the heart.
Smoking increases your risk of dying from heart attacks and strokes.
By quitting smoking, you can extend your lifespan by more than 8 years!
Heart Healthy Meal Plan:
Breakfast:
1 cup high-fiber cereal, hot or cold (oats, barley, etc.)
1 cup plant-based or reduced fat milk
1/2 cup fresh fruit
Lunch:
1 Mixed green salad with lean protein:
Lettuce, cucumber, avocado, etc.
Add chickpeas, white, red or black beans, or tofu.
1 whole baked sweet potato topped with bean salsa.
Supper:
2 cups lean protein: tofu, beans, and a small salad
1/2 cup brown rice, quinoa, etc.
Snacks:
1 handful of walnuts, almonds, peanuts, cashews at least twice per week.
1 whole fruit (apple, plum, pear, orange, etc.)
Whole Grain Pancakes (6-8 pancakes)
3/4 cup cassava flour or other whole grain flour
1 tbsp. flaxseed flour
1 tbsp. Chia seeds soaked in 3 tbsps. water or milk = 1 chia egg
or 1 mashed ripe banana
1/4 cup coconut, almond or cashew milk
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pumpkin or sunflower seeds
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 tsp cinnamon or coriander
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup oil (avocado, coconut, etc.)
Method:
1. Set the "Eggs"
Soak the chia seeds in milk or water to set for at least 10 minutes.
2. Mix the wet ingredients:
Stir the oil, milk and maple syrup and flax egg until well blended.
3. Add the dry ingredients:
Flour, flaxseed meal, cinnamon/coriander, baking soda, pumpkin or sunflower seeds and salt. Blend until the batter takes shape.
4. Grease a griddle or skillet on medium heat.
5. When the oil begins to heat up, place a small circle of batter onto the pan.
5. Cook on each side for about 2 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Lose those extra pounds:
Eat more foods in their natural state.
Consume whole fruits instead of juices.
Reduce refined foods and animal products.
7. Exercise regularly:
Set up a consistent regimen to keep moving.
Some good choices include:
Gardening
Swimming
Stretching
Walking (exercises every major muscle in the body at the same time)
Dancing
Cycling
Jogging
Sports and games
8. Stop smoking and consuming alcohol.
Cigarette smoke and alcohol build up toxins and make the heart work harder.
Alcohol can help increase your risk of stroke and hypertension and can also damage the walls of the heart.
Smoking increases your risk of dying from heart attacks and strokes.
By quitting smoking, you can extend your lifespan by more than 8 years!
Heart Healthy Meal Plan:
Breakfast:
1 cup high-fiber cereal, hot or cold (oats, barley, etc.)
1 cup plant-based or reduced fat milk
1/2 cup fresh fruit
Lunch:
1 Mixed green salad with lean protein:
Lettuce, cucumber, avocado, etc.
Add chickpeas, white, red or black beans, or tofu.
1 whole baked sweet potato topped with bean salsa.
Supper:
2 cups lean protein: tofu, beans, and a small salad
1/2 cup brown rice, quinoa, etc.
Snacks:
1 handful of walnuts, almonds, peanuts, cashews at least twice per week.
1 whole fruit (apple, plum, pear, orange, etc.)
Whole Grain Pancakes (6-8 pancakes)
3/4 cup cassava flour or other whole grain flour
1 tbsp. flaxseed flour
1 tbsp. Chia seeds soaked in 3 tbsps. water or milk = 1 chia egg
or 1 mashed ripe banana
1/4 cup coconut, almond or cashew milk
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pumpkin or sunflower seeds
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 tsp cinnamon or coriander
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup oil (avocado, coconut, etc.)
Method:
1. Set the "Eggs"
Soak the chia seeds in milk or water to set for at least 10 minutes.
2. Mix the wet ingredients:
Stir the oil, milk and maple syrup and flax egg until well blended.
3. Add the dry ingredients:
Flour, flaxseed meal, cinnamon/coriander, baking soda, pumpkin or sunflower seeds and salt. Blend until the batter takes shape.
4. Grease a griddle or skillet on medium heat.
5. When the oil begins to heat up, place a small circle of batter onto the pan.
5. Cook on each side for about 2 minutes or until golden brown.
