February is Heart Health Month! Nutrition is a good place to start when considering changes to improve the health of your heart. Below are ten tips, from our friends at the American Heart Association, to begin your journey to a healthier heart.
A word of advice from medical providers, you don’t have to jump in with both feet! Make small, incremental changes – it will be easier to make the change a healthy habit. You can add in additional changes slowly and before you know it – you’ve conquered some unhealthy eating habits! Of course, you should always follow the advice of your own healthcare provider when it comes to specifics about your individual situation!
10 Things You Can Do For A Healthy Heart
- Balance calories with physical activity.
- Reach for a variety of fruits and vegetables.
- Choose whole grains.
- Include healthy protein sources, mostly plants and seafood.
- Use liquid non-tropical plant oils.
- Choose minimally processed foods.
- Subtract added sugars
- Cut down on salt.
- Limit alcohol.
- Do all this wherever you eat!
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