Eating for the Heart
Plants and fiber for the win!
February is Heart Health Month and it’s downright impossible not to draw a connection between a healthy heart and good nutrition. But with so much information on the internet or presented throughout other media (thanks, Dr. Oz) it becomes a confusing and noisy world of nutrition information. Let’s get down to some key basics that can protect and/or mend cardiac functioning to keep your ticker ticking.
First up: PLANTS! "Plants" is a general term but, overall, fruits and vegetables have beneficial properties that are best broken down and absorbed by our bodies if not otherwise compromised by underlying conditions, such as gut dysbiosis. As much as possible, challenge yourself to include 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, combined. You might be surprised how this can impact the quality of your diet—when you’re filling up on the good stuff, you leave less room for the not-so-good stuff.
Speaking of plant power, that brings us to this second dietary recommendation for a healthy heart—fiber! Ever heard of it? There are two different kinds, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber helps us form a soft stool and can be found in: oat bran, nuts and seeds, beans, lentils, peas, fruits and vegetable (like carrots and apples). Insoluble fiber dissolves in water, aids in satiety, and slows down digestion, helping to keep our blood sugar stabilized. On the flip side, insoluble fiber adds bulk to out stool and can be found in other fruits and vegetables (such as brown rice, avocado, dark leafy greens, and the skin of root vegetables like sweet potato). Both kinds of fiber can help keep our gut bacteria happy and move stool through our system, aiding in detoxification. Research shows that adequate intake of soluble and insoluble fiber can have a positive impact on lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. Keeping these levels in check or lowering them, for many of us, protects our heart by not making it work dangerously hard.
So make your plate colorful at mealtimes by including lots of lovely fruit and vegetables (aim for half your plate) and you’ll likely be hitting your target fiber intake as a bonus. That’s a win-win you can really take to heart!
