Heart Health / Top 10 Eats for a Healthy Heart - Part 2

CONTINUATION....

6/ KALE - daily high intake of fruits and vegetables protect us from heart disease but green leafy vegetable like kale (spinach, or other leaves) seem to offer the most protection from heart attacks and stroke.  One study reveals that eating just 1 serving of green leafy vegetable everyday reduce the risk of heart disease by 25%.

7/ OATS - is an excellent source of soluble fibre which helps lower total and LDL (bad cholesterol).  According to research, consuming 3g of soluble oat fibre each day ( 1 1/2 cups of cooked oatmeal) can lower total cholesterol levels by up to 23%.  Oats also help stabilize blood glucose levels, which may benefit people with diabetes.

Enjoy oats everyday by adding it to your cookie of muffin recipe, stir it in with low-fat yoghurt.

8/ FLAXSEED - small in size but deliver huge benefits for the heart.  Flaxseed contains linolenic acid (an essential omega 3 fatty acid), lignans (a type of antioxidant) and dietary fiber - heart healthy compounds that together help protect against heart attacks and strokes by lowering blood lipids, maintaining healthy blood vessels and decreasing inflammation.  Flaxseed has a very hard shell and is best taken when grounded to enhance its digestibility and increase its nutritional value.

9/ PISTACHIOS - yummy and healthy, pistachios are packed with heart healthy antioxidants, amino acids and unsaturated fat.  They also contain more potassium, a mineral essential for proper heart function, than any other nut.  While pistachios contain the least amount of calories per gram than any other nut, it still has to be enjoyed in moderation.  Replace unhealthy snacks in your diet with pistachios - but remember a handful is enough.

10/ TEA - I call this the miracle drink because of it's many benefits for total health.  Tea is calorie free, packed with disease-fighting anti-oxidants.  Studies say that both green and black teas are effective at warding off heart disease.  Half a cup of green tea everyday reduce the risk of high blood pressure by nearly half.  For maximum health benefits, steer clear of tea with added sugar, such as bottled iced tea.

To your health and mine... Cheers!

SOURCE: Aquarius News

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Heart Health / Top 10 Eats for a Healthy Heart - Part 1

Good Eating Habits + Regular Exercise = Healthy Heart

Easier said than done - yes! How about asking yourself... Would you choose the pain of commitment now or pain of regret later?  I believe that it is always a personal choice to keep a healthy body.    There will be a bit of a challenge in the beginning but at the end of the day with discipline and determination, you will be happy you made the right choice.

Let's get started, here are 10 Heart Healthy foods you should begin liking.

1/ AVOCADO - known to be high in fat but their fat content is actually responsible for its health benefits.  Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fat, the type of fat that can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels.  It is also rich in folate and potassium - both essential for a healthy heart.  Just take avocado in moderation though as 1 medium size already gives over 300 calories.

2/ DARK CHOCOLATE - Yummy!  Choose dark chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa for the most health benefits.  Not only your comfort food, dark chocolate contains flavonoids, compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting properties.  Studies show that having as little as 7.5g of dark chocolate each day can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. 

NOTE: health benefits of chocolates are limited to dark chocolate, milk chocolate / white chocolate are not a good option.

3/ SOY MILK - while many are used to drinking fresh cows milk, having soy milk as substitute is not bad at all.  Personally, I find soy milk lighter than the normal dairy coming from animals.  Soy milk help reduce total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides.  Soy food also help boost HDL (good) cholesterol, lower blood pressure and keep blood vessels healthy.

4/ LENTILS - are an exceptional source of fibre which helps keep heart disease at bay.  A half cup serving of cooked lentils delivers 12g of fibre - half the daily recommended intake for women.  It is also packed with folate and magnesium - important nutrients for good heart health.  Compared to other dried beans, lentils are easiest to cook due to its small size. 

5/ SALMON - best eaten when steamed, grilled or baked, salmon tops the list of heart healthy foods.  High in Omega-3 fatty acids, salmon help reduce blood pressure, triglycerides, blood clots and can also protect against irregular heart beats.  According to studies, eating fatty fish as salmon 1 - 2 times each week is enough to lower the risk of dying from a heart attack by over 30%.

TO BE CONTINUED...

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