7 WAYS TO A
HEALTHY HEART Nutritionist Lily Soutter lists seven top tips to help your ticker
1. POLYPHENOLS
Whilst all fruit and veg contains an array of polyphenols, berries contain a high content of anthocyanin, an polyphenol thought to have heart protective effects. PUT A SPRING IN YOUR STEP WITH SEAWEED Seaweed has multiple health benefits and there are a range of snacks ideal for healthy living. “Seaweed can support your metabolism, where the body uses iodine – a mineral that’s particularly abundant in seaweed, to make thyroid hormones,” says nutritional therapist Fiona Lawson. “As well as influencing growth and cell repair, these important hormones control your metabolism. It can also help your gut, by dry weight; the amount of fibre in seaweed is higher than most fruit and vegetables. Fibre is essential not only for ensuring smooth digestion, but it can also help to feed the good bacteria in your gut. Further to this, seaweed can help to combat stress! Whenever we feel stressed (emotionally or physically), our body uses B vitamins. It’s therefore important that we eat enough B vitamins to support our stress resilience. Seaweed can help: it contains good amounts of many of the B-complex vitamins, including vitamin B2, vitamin B6 and folate.” JUMP ON THE CBD TREND CBD (Cannabidiol) products have become increasingly popular and this is set to continue throughout 2019. There are now a number of dietary supplements, beauty products, beverages and even foods, which have incorporated the CBD health benefits. “We’re living in an age of wellness awareness,” says Lawson. “People are both interested in maintaining health, and are more inclined to choose a natural approach – so the popularity of CBD will no doubt increase.” GET YOUR GUT IN GEAR The gut has been described as the second brain and for good reason – its health can have numerous effects on your overall wellbeing. “Our stomach is made up of good and bad bacteria, called gut flora, which have a controlling influence over many bodily functions, including metabolism and fat reduction,” explains Barns. “However, our lifestyle habits (taking antibiotics, having a diet high in sugar, feeling stressed) can contribute to damaging our gut bacteria, so it’s important to limit the bad bacteria and encourage the good bacteria to grow. Feed the good bacteria with fibrous foods and probiotics, which you can find in fermented foods or support your gut health this spring with a supplement, such as Natures Plus GI Natural Powder (£32.95 www.naturesplus.co.uk).
2. VITAMIN E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant, which may help to prevent the development of atherosclerosis. Vitamin E-rich foods can also help to minimise blood clots and may play a role in maintaining healthy blood pressure.
3. HIGH-FIBRE FOODS
If you’re suffering with high cholesterol then soluble fibre is just too important to go amiss. Berries such as raspberries come with a whopping 7g fibre per 100g, so add them to your morning porridge or smoothie.
4. VITAMIN C
People who have a higher intake of fruit have been shown to have higher blood levels of vitamin C, which has been associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
5. OILY FISH
All fish has been shown to support heart health, however oily fish is extra special as it’s a potent source of omega-3 fats. Consume two portions of fish a week, one of which is oily.
6. POLY AND MONOUNSATURATED FATS
Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats – think olive oil, avocado – can help to maintain levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol and decrease levels of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol.
7. HERBS AND SPICES
Excess salt within the diet can cause high blood pressure, which increases the risk of stroke. Ditch the table salt and get experimenting in the kitchen with flavoursome herbs and spices!
