more tips for healthy heart

foods that are good for your heart

1. Eat fish high in omega-3s, such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring and trout.
2. A handful of healthy nuts such as almonds or walnuts will satisfy your hunger and help your heart.
3. Berries are chock full of heart-healthy phytonutrients and soluble fiber. Try blueberries, strawberries, cranberries or raspberries in cereal or yogurt.
4. Flaxseeds contain omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and phytoestogens to boost heart health. Take them in ground or milled form to reap the greatest benefit.
5. Oatmeal: the comfort-food nutrient powerhouse.
6. Dark beans,such as kidney or black beans, are high in fiber, B-vitamins, minerals and other good stuff. Veggie chili, anyone?
7. A 4-ounce glass of red wine (up to two for men and one for women per day) can help improve good (HDL) cholesterol levels.
8. Try marinated tofu in a stir-fry with fresh veggies for a heart-healthy lunch or dinner.
9. Red, yellow and orange veggies such as carrots, sweet potatoes, red peppers and acorn squash are packed with carotenoids, fiber and vitamins to help your heart.
10. Popeye was right – spinach packs a punch! Use it in sandwiches and salads instead of lettuce.
11. Fruits such as oranges, cantaloupes and papaya are rich in beta-carotene, potassium, magnesium and fiber.
12. Tender, sweet asparagus is filled with mighty nutrients such as beta-carotene, folate and fiber, and only provide 25 calories per cup, or 5 calories per large spear.
13. Tomatoes – even sun-dried varieties in winter months – provide lycopene, vitamin C and alpha- and beta-carotene.
14. Dark chocolate is good for your heart health, but just be sure that it’s at least 70 percent cocoa.
15. Crisp, fresh broccoli florets dipped in hummus are a terrific heart-healthy snack with a whopping list of nutrients, including vitamins C and E, potassium, folate, calcium and fiber.

Food for a Healthy Heart

Choosing foods that look after your heart can be easier than you might think, and taste good too.  Here are five simple steps to get you started.

A simple way of knowing you’re getting enough vegetables is to make about half your lunch and dinner non-starchy vegetables. They are full of goodness and help fill you up with few calories.   

So have a think about how you could get some more veges and fruit into your day. Maybe you could:

• add one more vegetable to dinner
• add a salad vege to your sandwick (eg. tomato, lettuce, beetroot, grated carrot)
• add coleslaw to a takeaway meal so at least you're getting your veges
• add a piece of fruit to breakfast or lunch

Finding it hard to make vegetables a bit more interesting?  Here are some ideas that might help you get started:

Broccoli: cut broccoli into small florets and add lemon juice and lemon zest; sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds; or make a broccoli salad

Cabbage: stir fry with lime juice, baby sweetcorn, and coriander leaves; or spice up your standard coleslaw with red capsicum and corn kernels

Pumpkin: sprinkle with cumin or nutmeg and roast; roast or boil then add reduced-salt chicken stock and blend to make pumpkin soup; or cook and mix with wilted spinach and feta, coat with breadcrumbs and pan fry

Green beans: cook beans, then top with canned Moroccan flavoured tomatoes

Spinach: wilt and serve with sliced almonds or a sprinkle of parmesan cheese

Parsnip: make a mash with parsnip, carrot, and orange zest

Tomatoes: drizzle lightly with olive oil, slow roast in the oven at a low temperature for an hour along with some garlic cloves and rosemary

Next steps

tips for a healthier heart

Here are some tips to help you look after your heart. 

1. Quit smoking now. Twelve months after quitting, your increased risk of dying from heart disease will be half that of a continuing smoker.
   
2. Improve your diet. Include wholegrain cereals, legumes, fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts in your diet and lower your risk of heart disease.
   
3. Exercise regularly. Walk briskly for 30 minutes a day and reduce your risk of heart attack by one third.
   
4. Maintain your friendships. People with supportive friendship networks are at less risk of heart disease.
   
5. Eat more fish. Oily fish like tuna, sardines or salmon are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and will boost your good cholesterol.
   
6. Switch your chocolate choice. Switch from milk chocolate to dark chocolate. When eaten in moderation, dark chocolate is good for your heart.
   
7. Limit your alcohol. It is recommended you limit yourself to no more than two standard glasses of alcohol a day if you are a man, or one glass a day if you are a woman.
   
8. Avoid salty and high sodium foods. Don’t add salt when preparing or eating your meals.
   
9. Have a diabetes test. Uncontrolled diabetes can damage your artery walls and contribute to heart disease.
   
10. Make fitness fun. Choose activities that combine exercise and socialising like pilates, water aerobics, dancing, cycling or yoga.