Happy Healthy Heart Month! - Part 2
Now back to the keys to heart health that we started to look at last week. We've talked about the following so far: fiber, nuts, soy protein, exercise, green tea.
6.) Practice meditation to help you de-stress and focus on the present. Meditation helps you to find a more relaxed, peaceful center to your life. Even 15 or 20 minutes a few times a week makes a big difference. I joined a local meditation group and meditated on my own once or twice a day for 20 years. I am trying to restore the habit, using guided meditation CDs. (Thanks, Ruth Pollow.)
7.) Fill up on veggies. Go for 9 servings of fruits and vegetables with more emphasis on the veggies. Look for cruciferous ones that are rich in antioxidants and other phytochemicals. To be safe, think of adding Vita-C, CarotoMax, FlavoMax.
8. Reign in your fat intake & look for healthy fats. Keep your fat intake at 25 % of calories unless you already have heart disease. Then check with your cardiologist, who may want you to go lower. Avoid saturated and transfat. Get lots of monounsaturated fat and omega-3s. Try Shaklee's OmegaGuard.
9. Manage your anger. Flying off the handle can double your risk of a heart attack within the following 2 hours. Stress Relief may help.
10. Love olives for their healthy olive oil. Substitute it for butter or margarine on the table. It's good on salads and to replace other oils whenever possible. Cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil is the healthiest choice.
