Heathy Happy Hearts!

9:19 PM Remy Maguire - Manifest the Best 0 Comments

I spoke on a panel this evening for Go RED! Women's heart heath on local radio KINK 101.9 It was a fabulous event celebrating women, wine and wellness. A few near by wineries brought wine to taste and there were tons of great companies sharing their products and services. I especially loved the foot massage booth! The evening was dedicated to helping women understand cardiovascular disease, know there risks, and know how they can help prevent this serious illness. I spoke about nutrition and a how few simple changes in the kitchen can have a big impact in living a long and healthy life!


How to Keep Your Heart Happy:

The American Heart Association helps define ideal cardiovascular health by identifying seven simple steps that will make the biggest impact in living a long and healthy life.


1. Stop smoking
2. Keep a healthy weight
3. Get Active
4. Eat Well
5. Manage Blood Pressure
6. Know your Cholesterol Levels
7. Keep blood sugar level


The kitchen can be the heart of the house! 3 keys to heart health happen here! A healthy diet is one of the most powerful weapons in the fight against heart disease. Here are some easy ways to meet your nutritional goals:

• You can’t eat too many veggies! Try a bunch of them and find your favorites. Make bright and colorful fruits and vegetables the highlight of your meals. Vegetables and fruits are good sources of vitamins and minerals; they are low in calories and rich in dietary fiber. Vegetables and fruits also contain substances found in plants that may help prevent cardiovascular disease. Eating more fruits and vegetables may help you eat less high-fat foods, such as meat, cheese and snack foods. Featuring vegetables and fruits in your diet can be easy. Keep vegetables washed and cut in your refrigerator for quick snacks. Keep fruit in a bowl in your kitchen so that you'll remember to eat it. Choose recipes that have vegetables or fruits as the main ingredient, such as vegetable stir-fry or fresh fruit mixed into salads.
• Enjoy heart-healthy fish. Have a 4-6oz fishy entrée 2-3 times per week. Fish is another good alternative to high-fat meats. And certain types of fish are heart healthy because they're rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower blood fats called triglycerides. You'll find the highest amounts of omega-3 fatty acids in cold-water fish, such as salmon, mackerel and herring. Other sources are flaxseed, walnuts, soybeans and canola oil.

• Load up on fiber-rich foods. Apples, whole grain breads and cereals, and leafy greens are all good options. Whole grains are good sources of fiber and other nutrients that play a role in regulating blood pressure and heart health. You can increase the amount of whole grains in a heart-healthy diet by making simple substitutions for refined grain products.
• Limit the amount of sodium in your diet. Aim for less than 1500mg daily.
• Avoid sugar and sweetened beverages.
• Enjoy a variety of nuts, seeds and legumes. Keep raw almonds handy for quick snacks. Legumes — beans, peas and lentils — also are good sources of protein and contain less fat and no cholesterol, making them good substitutes for meat. Substituting soy protein for animal protein — for example, a soy burger for a hamburger — will reduce your fat and cholesterol intake.

• Eat less processed meats. Choose all-natural deli meats and organic options when available. Lean meat, poultry and fish, low-fat dairy products, and egg whites or egg substitutes are some of your best sources of protein. But be careful to choose lower fat options, such as skim milk rather than whole milk and skinless chicken breasts rather than fried chicken patties.

• Keep saturated-fat low. The best way to reduce saturated and trans fats in your diet is to limit the amount of solid fats — butter, margarine and shortening — you add to food when cooking and serving. You can also reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet by trimming fat off your meat or choosing lean meats with less than 10 percent fat.

You can also use low-fat substitutions when possible for a heart-healthy diet. For example, top your baked potato with salsa or low-fat yogurt rather than butter, or use low-sugar fruit spread on your toast instead of margarine.
• Aim for moderation and variety in your diet. Think quality and quantity. Make the healthiest choices and be aware of portion size.