Do you ♥ your heart? Do you show your heart how much you ♥ it with the food you eat? The best way to show your heart some love is with delicious and heart-healthy foods.
February is American Heart Month
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Heart Association:
- Heart disease is the number one cause of death for both men and women, causing 26% of all deaths in the United States. That’s 1 in 4 people dying from heart disease.
- Every year, about 785,000 people have their first heart attack. Another 470,000 who have already had one or more heart attacks have another attack.
- More women will die from heart disease and stroke than the next 5 causes of death combined.
Think it can’t happen to you? I’m willing to bet that none of those people thought it could happen to them either. So what can you do?
Start by knowing your risk. Take this quiz from the American Heart Association to learn more about your risk factors, especially for a heart attack.
Throughout February, we’ll cover how to make dietary changes that can improve your heart health. Rest assured, the advice is not “Give up everything you love and just eat carrots.” The most effective way to make dietary changes is to find acceptable substitutions for the unhealthy choices you make. Let’s start with Super Bowl party food.
Super Bowl Food Ideas
There’s a big game coming up this weekend. For many, it’s a holiday much like Thanksgiving: all about the food. Give some of these ideas a shot and let me know how you like them:
- Swap regular chips for baked chips. My favorite are Kettle Baked Chips. They’re real potatoes with real oil and all-natural seasonings.
- Make your own pizza. You can buy fresh dough from most pizzerias and grocery stores. Use part-skim cheese and low-fat tomato sauce. Add your favorite toppings, but go easy on the high-fat meat toppings.
- Lighten up the dip. Make a fresh dip with low-fat cream cheese and sour cream. Better still, swap non-fat plain yogurt for some of the higher fat ingredients. Boost the flavor with fresh herbs, onions, garlic and spices. Perfect pairing for those baked chips.
- Rethink the drinks. Enjoy an alcoholic beverage if you’re so inclined, and think about how they can be healthier. Can you switch to light beer? How about cranberry & seltzer instead of that mixed drink? Add an ice cube (or two) to your wine.
- If nothing else, be sure to include really healthy choices like fresh cut veggies. You can’t eat them if they’re not there!
Next Week
A Valentine’s Day Menu You’ll Fall in Love With
