Motivation Mondays: Heart-Healthy Nutrition

Eating well simply for the sake of being well may not always be enough of an incentive to consume the restrictive diet that we associate with healthy eating.  Chronic diseases such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia (high blood cholesterol) and other cardiovascular diseases arrest the attention of many and provide the impetus to indulge a more health-promoting diet. The heart plays an integral role in sustaining life; it creates enough energy daily to drive a truck twenty (20) miles which in a lifetime is equivalent to driving to the moon and back.  To preserve and protect this vital organ is essential.

 Motivation Mondays kicks off with some heart healthy nutrition tips that can be implemented without forfeiting the variety and taste of wholesome foods.

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      Restrict sodium intake.  Studies prove that high sodium intake is associated with heart disease.   The recommendation from the Dietary Approaches to Stopping Hypertension (DASH) diet is 2400mg sodium which is equivalent to 1 teaspoon (6 grams) added salt daily.  Most foods already contain sodium naturally. Watch for hidden sources of sodium in processed foods.  Read food labels, items should not provide more than 300mg of sodium per serving.  Know the terms that are indicative of high sodium content-“pickled (eg. Pickled mackerel), cured (eg. Smoked beef), smoked (eg. Smoked herring), and corned (eg. Corned pork or corned beef)”.  The following table provides a guide for understanding food labeling for sodium.

Sodium-free	Less than 5 mg per standard serving; cannot contain any sodium chloride
Very low sodium	35 mg or less per standard serving
Low sodium	140 mg or less per standard serving
Reduced sodium	At least 25% less sodium per standard serving than in the regular food
Light in sodium	50% less sodium per standard serving than in the regular food
Unsalted, without added salt, or no salt added	No salt added during processing; the product it resembles is normally processed with salt
Lightly salted	50% less added sodium than is normally added; product must state “not a low-sodium food” if that criterion is not met

Data from U.S. Food and Drug Administration:  Scouting for sodium and other nutrients important to blood pressure, FDA Consumer, Publication No. 95-2284, 1995.

      Decrease saturated fat intake.  Saturated fat (from animal sources) in the blood makes the blood more viscous (thick) and makes it difficult for the blood to pass through the blood vessels thereby increasing the demands on the heart to pump blood throughout the entire body.

·       Decrease alcohol consumption.  Alcohol intake should be restricted to no more than 2 drinks (2 oz. of 100-proof whiskey, 10 oz. of wine, or 24 oz. of beer) daily in men and half this amount should be consumed by women.

·       Physical Activity.  Physical activity has beneficial effects on cardiac health.  A recent study revealed that low-to-moderate intensity exercise for 30 to 45 minutes 5 or more days of the week is important in maintaining heart health.

·    The following have been touted to have beneficial effects on heart health:
      
      Fabulous Fibre.  Increase dietary fibre consumption. Studies show that increased dietary fibre intake decreases blood pressure.  Its heart healthy function extends to inhibiting the deposition of plaque in the blood vessels.  Dietary fibre is reported to lower blood cholesterol.  Foods such as vegetables, fruits, legumes (peas and beans), and whole grains are high in dietary fibre.  The recommendation is 28grams/day for women and 35 grams/day for men.

·       
      Magnificent Magnesium.  Increase magnesium intake. Magnesium potently inhibits smooth muscle vascular contractions, simply put, it relaxes the smooth muscles of the blood vessels.  Dietary sources include green leafy vegetables, nuts, and whole grain bread and cereals.

·       Potent Potassium.  Increase potassium intake.   Arterial flexibility is improved with potassium intake.  Potassium rids the body of excess sodium which increases blood volume.   Increased blood volume is implicated in elevated blood pressure.  Dietary sources of potassium include legumes (peas and beans), raw fruits and vegetables.

Commendable Calcium.  Increase calcium intake.  Researchers suggest that calcium is effective in dilating the smooth muscles of the blood vessels which has a positive effect on blood pressure.  Dietary sources of calcium include legumes (peas and beans), green leafy vegetables dairy products.

·       Victorious Vegetarianism.  Indulge a plant-based diet.  A meat-based diet has been shown to increase blood cholesterol.  The high fibre component of the vegetarian diet yields beneficial effects on vascular plaque inhibition.

N.B. The minerals recommended for optimal heart health is to be derived preferably from food sources as opposed to supplements.  These food sources are high in fibre and yield other health-promoting nutrients, antioxidants and phytochemicals.

Low Sodium Sample Menu Based on a 2000 Calorie Meal Plan

Breakfast

  2 cups Oatmeal

  1 cup Skimmed/Low-fat Milk

  2 Tbsp Raisins

  3 Water Crackers

Spice to Taste (Cinnamon, Nutmeg)

 Lunch

  3 oz. Steamed Fish

  1 ½ cups Okra and carrots

  2 slices Yam

  2 Boiled Dumplings

  2 medium green bananas

  1 cup Pumpkin

   8 oz. All natural fruit juice-NO SUGAR ADDED

Supper

1 Cheese Sandwich

  - 2 slices Whole Wheat Bread

  -1 oz. (1 oz is equivalent to one slice of the pre-sliced cheeses) Cheddar cheese

Lettuce, Tomatoes, Cucumbers (Any amount)

1 Orange

Be sure to read this week’s Tantalizing Thursday blog entry which will feature a mouth-watering heart-healthy vegetarian recipe.

Please direct any queries to nutorietynutrition@gmail.com