Heart-Healthy Recipes to try this month!

WRITTEN BY ZENITH LUNDELL

People often forget to connect their everyday behaviors to their bodies. Overeating, a lack of exercise, increased stress levels and poor sleeping patterns weigh heavy — quite literally — on our hearts. Heart health is not only affected by genetics but also by poor lifestyle choices.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., but luckily, there are small yet practical steps to minimize risk and improve your overall heart health! Eating healthily and cultivating a heart-healthy diet will decrease your chances of heart disease and other medical conditions, such as diabetes and obesity, that impact overall heart health.

Why Should We Look After Our Hearts?

Our hearts are responsible for pumping oxygen-full, nutrient-rich blood to every living cell and removing toxins and waste. Having a healthy heart is imperative to your overall health. You are always young enough to change your ways and adopt a healthier way of life.

Here are some of the reasons why you should maintain a healthy heart: Preserve healthy cholesterol levels Lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer's Regulate blood pressure

How Can We Take Care of Our Hearts?

There are many ways to ensure that you keep your heart healthy. Regular exercise strengthens the muscles of the heart. Limiting or stopping smoking altogether places less stress on the heart and lungs.

The most straightforward place to start is in the kitchen. Changing the ingredients in your fridge and pantry can improve blood pressure, maintain cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. Here are some tips to keep in mind when following a heart-healthy diet:

Control portion size; Reduce sodium intake; Choose whole grains; Eat more fruit and vegetables; Limit unhealthy fats.

Don't let this overwhelm you. Several delicious heart-healthy recipes to choose from have considered all these factors for you!

Easy Heart-Healthy Recipes to Make

Making the change to a heart-healthy diet has never been easier. These heart-healthy recipes are perfect for simple, flavorful and, most importantly, healthy meal ideas!