Heart Healthy February

Happy First of February! 

Let's be honest - how many New Year's Resolutions have you kept? I'm doing well...except the whole "45minutes of exercise 4 times a week" and a dog walk everyday. It's been difficult, working 60hour weeks and studying when I do finally get in. Just can't really squeeze in a nice long run. But I am dead set on fixing this while I'm on psych/neuro. It will happen. In the meantime, I've kept some dumbbells by my desk to at least do some arm training, and I always take the stairs (and there are a lot of stairs in the hospital)! And about the dog walks - Marley is just too tired from doggy daycare to be interested when it's sunny - and when it's freezing out or raining, forget about it. Marley refuses to set foot out the house when it rains! ;)  But the whole eat healthier resolution has definitely stuck.


And what better time to eat well than February - it is, after all, Heart Health Month! Healthy eating on its own can drop your blood pressure by at least 6 points (even more if you are already on the higher pressures).  Add in exercise and the decrease is even more dramatic.  In fact, when a person is found to have blood pressures in the 120-139/80-89 range (so-called "Pre-Hypertension"), we opt for lifestyle modifications before we choose medications! That's how important healthy habits are for your cardiovascular system. The Mayo Clinic has released a few tips on how to improve your heart health by making healthy choices in your diet. They include:

   1.  Limit saturated fats and cholesterol.
Avoid trans-fats at all costs! (Companies are sneaky about this, and don't always state on the nutrition label that the product contains trans fat - but any ingredient list that says "partially hydrogenated" or "hydrogenated" means it contains trans fat - don't buy it!)
Try and use fats that are liquid at room temperature - like oil, which is high in monounsaturated fat - rather than solid at room temperature - like butter or margarine, which is high in saturated fat. Polyunsaturated fats found in nuts and seeds are also heart-healthy fats.


   2.  Choose low-fat proteins.
Lean cuts of meat, chicken, turkey, fish, egg whites, and low-fat dairy products are all good choices of low-fat protein. Other good protein-rich foods include legumes (like beans, peas, and lentils), soybeans and soy products (tofu).


   3.  Eat more vegetables and fruits.
High in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, low in calories. The fiber helps to trap fat in the GI system, which prevents them from ever being absorbed into the bloodstream. An easy way to promote healthy snacking - clean the veggies and fruits after you get in from the grocery, cut them up, and make them easily accessible in the fridge, so its a handy and quick go-to snack.


   4. Select whole grains.
It's easy to replace the foods you normally buy - like pasta and bread - with whole grain without noticing a difference in taste. And you'll be doing your heart a huge favor. The extra fiber in the whole grains help keep fat from being absorbed, and it helps your GI system function more normally as well (and can help to prevent diverticuli and colon cancer). Adding flaxseed to food adds fiber without changing the flavor of food. Add ground flaxseed to your oatmeal, applesauce, or even yogurt for some extra fiber without compromising taste!


   5. Reduce the sodium in your food.
This is a hard one for most of us. The USDA recommends less than 2300mg per day (less than a teaspoon). If you purchase pre-packaged foods, you'll be well above this limit after just one meal. So just be mindful. This recommendation is particularly useful if you are an African American, as the mechanism for hypertension involves salt in many people of African descent.


   6. Control your portion size.
A few portion size pearls to keep in mind:
          1 serving of pasta is 1/2 a cup, which is about the size of a hockey puck.
          1 serving of meat is 3-4 oz, which is about the size and thickness of a deck of cards.
          1 serving of mashed potato is 1/2 a cup, which is about the size of half an apple.
          1 serving of ice cream is 1/2 a cup, which is about the size of a tennis ball.


   7. Plan Ahead.
Create daily menus before you get hungry so you can more easily fight the urge to eat something fast and unhealthy! Add in variety so you're more likely to stick to the healthy eating plan.


    8. Allow yourself an occasional treat.
A few indulgences every now and then won't derail your heart-healthy diet or ruin your healthy-eating plan. Just don't let it turn into an excuse to give up on healthy eating! Allow yourself treats or you'll never stick to any diet. But the key here is balance - what is most important is that you eat healthy foods most of the time!

Reference:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-healthy-diet/NU00196








Today was spent in the hospital, followed by giving a case presentation (my patient that I presented had Atrial fibrillation), and finished with an afternoon and evening of studying and completing question banks. Marley has snuggled on my lap all day while I study - I love when she's super snugly! :)