Take Action for Your Heart!

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. But adopting heart-healthy lifestyle choices can aid in reducing your risks of heart disease along with the other risk factors that come with it. Here are 10 tips that can help you protect your heart.

Get Enough Quality Sleep

  • Lack of sleep or getting poor-quality sleep increases the risk of having high blood pressure, heart disease, and other medical conditions.

Be More Active

  • Getting enough physical activity helps to lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Control Cholesterol

  • Unhealthy levels of cholesterol cam lead to high cholesterol, which increase the risk of developing heart disease.

Manage Blood Sugar

  • Maintaining stable blood sugar levels is crucial for heart health, especially for people with diabetes or those at risk of developing diabetes.

Control Blood Pressure

  • Keep your blood pressure in a healthy range and keep track of your numbers. Blood pressure that’s consistently high than 130/80 mm Hg can cause serious health problems.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

  • Maintaining a healthy weight is important for overall health and can help you prevent and control many disease conditions.

Eat Better

  • A flexible and balanced eating plan can help lower your high blood pressure and improve your cholesterol.

Stop Smoking

  • Any amount of smoking, even light or occasional smoking, damages your heart and blood vessels.

Manage Stress

  • Learning how to manage stress with healthy coping strategies helps improve your emotional and physical health.
  • Practice Self-Care & Find Social Support
  • Daily acts of self-care can benefit your heart because self-care is heart care. Studies show that having positive social support, close relationships, and feeling connected to others makes it easier to stick to heart-healthy habits.

Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

 

How to Steam Veggies in the Microwave

Steaming small portions of vegetables doesn’t have to be hard! You can simply use your microwave to steam veggies quickly and easily. Follow these steps to steam veggies in the microwave:

  1. Wash your vegetables. Don’t worry about drying them.
  2. If using bigger vegetables or a mixture of different types, cut them into pieces that are roughly the same size.
  3. Place vegetables into a microwave-safe dish and add 1-2 tablespoons of water.
  4. Put on a microwave-safe lid or use microwave-safe plastic wrap (with one corner slightly lifted for venting).
  5. Microwave on high. Firmer vegetables like turnips or potatoes may take 6-8 minutes, and softer vegetables like broccoli will take less – around 4 minutes. Leafy greens, like spinach may only take 3.
  6. Check to see that your vegetables are tender, but still crisp and season to taste.

Source: The Foundation for Fresh Produce

 

Daily Recommended Amounts from Each Food Group

It is important to eat a balanced diet and consume food from all of the food groups in order to maintain a healthy diet. The amounts that make up a healthy diet depends on your age, height, weight, and personal medical concerns and/or health goals.

For Example:

  • A 60 year old female that is 5 feet 5 inches and weighing 150 pounds the daily recommended amount for each food group is: 1.5 cups of fruits, 2.5 cups of vegetables, 6 ounces of grains, 5 ounces of protein, and 3 cups of dairy per day.
  • A 60 year old male that is 5 feet 10 inches and weighing 170 pounds the daily recommended amount of each food group is: 2 cups of fruits, 3 cups of vegetables,7 ounces of grains, 6 ounces of protein, and 3 cups of dairy per day.
  • To calculate your personal plan you can visit gov/myplate-plan to create a personalized plan of daily recommended amounts for each food group.

Source: MyPlate.gov