heart health Archives - Be Well Solutions

Nutrition and Heart Health

Be Kind to Your Heart: Supporting Your Heart Through Nutrition Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. The good news is that creating healthy habits can decrease your chance of developing heart disease. There are so many ways to be proactive in taking care of your heart health such as exercising, managing stress, reducing sodium intake, switching to healthy fats, and increasing your soluble fiber intake. Reminder: Don’t overwhelm yourself with lifestyle changes. Reflect on your habits. What is one thing that you would like to work on? Eating more vegetables? Going for consistent walks? Set yourself up for long-term success by making one or two achievable lifestyle changes. If you try to make too many changes at once, you have a higher chance of not meeting your goals. Let’s look at how nutrition [...]

Tags: corporate welllness, fiber, heart health, nutrition|

Heart Healthy Grocery Shopping

Use the tips below to create a heart-healthy grocery shopping list. Produce Choose a variety of fresh fruits and veggies No sodium added or low sodium canned beans & veggies Plain frozen veggies and fruit No sugar added dried fruit (raisins) Grains Plain brown rice, quinoa, or whole-wheat pasta Lower added sugar cereal (Total, plain Cheerios, Wheaties, etc.) and oats Protein Meats with loin or round in the name like pork tenderloin Salmon and tuna (look for canned tuna packed in water) Reduced sodium chicken or turkey deli meats 90% lean ground beef Skinless chicken and turkey Ground chicken or turkey No sodium added canned beans and lentils Fats Olive, canola, avocado oil Lightly salted or unsalted nuts Peanut butter, cashew butter, sunflower butter, etc. Avocado Dairy/dairy alternatives Reduced fat milk Reduced fat cottage cheese and cheese Reduced added sugar [...]

Tags: corporate welllness, grocery, heart health, nutrition|

Gratitude & Your Heart Health

Gratitude is a great way to change your perspective and create a more positive outlook on life. Did you know practicing gratitude is also a great way to boost your heart health? Research has found that being more thankful can help lower blood pressure and improve the function of our immune systems. It can also assist with promoting healthy behaviors like increased physical activity and having a more nutritious diet (American Heart Association). While there are many ways to express your graciousness, you can start with one of the options below. Your heart will be grateful you did! 4 Ways to Practice Gratitude Say Thank You. Whether someone just held the door open for you or a friend lent a listening ear when you needed it most, express your thanks out loud. Use your words to say thank you. [...]

Tags: corporate welllness, gratitude, heart health, journaling|

Exercise as Medicine

We all know that exercise is good for our health, but what exactly does it mean to use exercise as medicine? Research has shown that exercise can help to prevent and manage chronic diseases and conditions. In many cases, with physician supervision, it can be used instead of or in conjunction with medication to maximize health benefits. How Can Exercise be Used as Medicine? The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) launched the Exercise is Medicine (EIM) initiative to emphasize the importance of physical activity on our overall health. While physical fitness is important for improving athletic performance, preventing injury, and building muscle, its benefits go far beyond this. Exercise is key for preventing and managing diseases like cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Research shows it can also help manage bone and joint health, mental health, cognitive [...]

Tags: corporate wellness, exercise, heart health, heart month|

Sleep and Heart Health

We’ve all been there – we didn’t get enough sleep the night before, and then the next day are tired, unfocused, cranky, and slugging through the day. Sleep can impact a multitude of things, but it can also affect our health. Did you know that adequate sleep is an important part of heart health? How Does Sleep Affect the Heart? Studies have found that getting enough sleep helps manage blood pressure, improves blood sugar, and even regulates part of the brain that controls hunger (CDC). This can help with the management and prevention of hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, and obesity. Adequate sleep can benefit heart health more indirectly by encouraging healthier behaviors. The more rested we are, the easier it is to make mindful choices about sleep, exercise, stress, and many other habits. Serious sleep conditions like Sleep Apnea [...]

Tags: corporate wellness, heart health, sleep, sleep hygiene|

Don’t Stress Out Your Heart

When we think about heart health, we typically think about habits involving exercise and nutrition. While these both have a huge impact, the effects of stress on the heart often get overlooked. Stress is something that most of us deal with daily. Taking time to manage our stress can greatly improve heart health and lower the risk of adverse effects. When it comes to stress, it is necessary to explore types of stress, how it affects the body, and how to better manage it. Acute vs. Chronic Stress Acute stress stems from a short-term, immediate stressor. It sparks our body’s “flight or fight” response and produces stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) which cause elevated heart rate, increased breathing, and contracted muscles that are ready for action. It's natural for our bodies to have this acute response to stress because [...]

Tags: corporate welllness, heart health, heart month, stress|

5 Heart-Healthy Reasons to Exercise

The benefits that exercise has for physical and mental health are numerous. Countless studies have shown physical activity to be a top component in preventing and managing diseases and promoting a longer, healthier life. Let’s explore five heart-healthy reasons to make exercise a habit today. Regulate Blood Pressure Exercise causes blood vessels to dilate, which means they open wider and allow better circulation. Because of this the heart does not have to work as hard thereby more efficiently getting blood to the body. Less stress on the arteries means lower blood pressure in return (Mayo Clinic). Since bouts of exercise directly affect heart function, consistent physical activity is necessary for keeping blood pressure under control long-term. Boost Good Cholesterol High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is considered the “good” cholesterol, and it is an important part of heart health. According to the [...]

Tags: corporate wellness, exercise, heart health, heart month|

International Spices for Heart Health

Your doctor recommended that you lay off the salt. The American Heart Association recommends less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day in our diet. Although in the US the majority of the population consumes nearly 150% of the recommended amount. Why is this a problem? Overconsumption of salt raises blood pressure which in turn raises your risk for heart disease. The good news is that simple lifestyle changes like eating more fruit and vegetables and swapping out seasonings for salt while cooking can make a big difference. In fact, cutting back on salt has shown improvements in blood pressure within weeks. According to the FDA, 75% of our salt intake comes from packaged food and restaurant meals. Cut back on salt intake by making fresh meals at home. Want to know how to make your salt-free kitchen exciting? Bring [...]

Tags: cooking, corporate wellness, heart health, heart month, no salt, recipe|

Heart Month- February 2022

Heart Disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States, yet 80% of all heart attacks can be prevented. A great way to reduce your risk is to know your heart screening numbers. The most important are blood pressure, blood sugar, LDL and HDL cholesterols and body mass index (BMI). These values, in addition to your family history and personal habits (tobacco use, exercise and stress management), help health professionals design strategies that can lead to a long lifetime of heart health. Blood Pressure is the force with which your heart pumps blood through your blood vessels. Remembering that your heart is a pump and the vessels are hoses makes blood pressure easier to understand. Blood pressure measurements are recorded as two numbers. The higher number is the systolic pressure, and the lower [...]

Tags: corporate wellness, heart health, heart month|

Salmon Rice Bowl Recipe

Coming up in February is American Heart Month! Any movements such as walking, biking, and other exercises that increase our heart rate can improve cardiovascular health. Good nutrition can also impact our hearts in a positive way. Ways to improve heart health through eating include: Less saturated fats such as butter, lard, and animal products Lower sodium foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes More fatty fish like salmon, cod, and mahi-mahi are high in omega-3 fatty acids Below is a recipe that includes salmon, brown rice, and vegetables that are perfect for a heart-healthy diet! Salmon Rice Bowl Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 15 minutes Servings: 2 Salmon Ingredients: 6oz Salmon Filet (3oz for each bowl) 1 teaspoon minced garlic ½ teaspoon ground pepper 1 Tablespoon lemon juice Rice Bowl Ingredients: 1 cup brown basmati rice or other brown [...]

Tags: brown rice, clean eating, corporate wellness, heart health, recipe, salmon|