February is American Heart Month

Did you know heart disease is still the leading cause of death?  You are at a higher risk of heart disease if you are:

• a woman age 55 or older
• a man age 45 or older
• African American
• Have a family history of early heart disease. 

The good news is there is a lot you can do help keep your heart healthy.  Since February is American Heart Month, this is a good time to check if you are doing what you can to stay HEART HEALTHY!

1. Make Healthy Food Choices

• Lower the Fat
• Choose lean meats and poultry. Examples include chicken and turkey without skin or 93% and higher lean beef. 
• Select fat-free or low-fat dairy products like milk and yogurt.
• Cut back on foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol. These foods include fatty beef, chicken with skin, butter and cheese.
• Lower sugar
• Cut back on beverages and foods with added sugars. Instead, stick to water, low fat milk and 100% fruit juice.
• Lower salt. (salt = sodium)
• Read labels to compare salt content of foods.  Select the food item that is lowest in sodium. 
• Add less salt when cooking.
• Put the salt shaker away!
• Eat smaller portions of food.

    2.  Become more active

• Start Slowly. Try going for a 10-minute brisk walk.  Work up to a total of 30 minutes per day.
• Involve friends and family members in physical activity.

So where do you start?  Many people try to make a lot of changes all at once. This often leads to getting discouraged and returning to old habits.  A better way to start is to choose only 1 or 2 small changes and make them lasting habits.  Maybe it is switching to a lower fat milk, or making your portion sizes just a bit smaller.  You may also want to try taking a short walk a few days a week.

Remember, you developed your eating and activity habits over a lifetime. Changing them takes time and effort.  Every step counts.  Your heart will thank you for it!