Heart Healthy, Heart Happy (2/9/2020)

Set Yourself Up to Succeed
You can work on reducing your cardiovascular disease risk with lifestyle changes.

While a healthy lifestyle won’t eliminate cardiovascular disease risk altogether, it can lower your heart disease risk substantially.  Getting your body in shape through physical activity and healthier eating will help reduce cardiovascular disease risk by reducing your unhealthy cholesterol (LDL) and lowering your risk of diabetes and obesity. 

You can make healthy changes to lower your risk of developing heart disease. Controlling and preventing risk factors is also important for people who already have heart disease. Ways that may help lower your risk include:

• Watching your weight.

• Quitting smoking and staying away from secondhand smoke.

• Controlling your cholesterol and blood pressure.

• If you drink alcohol, drinking in moderation.

• Getting active and eating healthy.


It may seem simple...

For the most part, lifestyle plays a huge role in keeping the heart healthy and reducing cardiovascular disease risks. Many of these suggestions are probably familiar to most people. 

• Managing your stress levels
• Eating fruits, vegetables, and foods low in fat and cholesterol — maintaining a mostly plant-based diet
• Becoming active (at least 30 minutes per day) and either maintaining your current weight or losing weight if you are overweight.
• Monitoring your blood pressure. If it’s high, work on getting it under control.
• Screening your cholesterol and blood sugar levels. If your numbers have increased, you may be able to reverse the trend.

The earlier heart problems are detected, the better the chance you can begin treatment before any long-term damage has occurred.

Heart-healthy items include high-fiber foods (whole grains, fruits, and vegetables) and certain fats (like the fats in olive oil and fish).  

Visit our Heart & Circulatory Health page to check out our all natural herbal, nutritional and vitamin supplements 
supporting cardiovascular, circulatory, and heart health.

Recipes you might like to try:

Lentil Soup (1)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium carrots, diced
2 medium stalks celery, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basiln
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups dry lentils
1 can (14½ ounces) crushed tomatoes 
2 cups vegetable broth
6½ cups water

In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, and

1. onions; cook and stir until the onion is tender. Stir in garlic, oregano, basil, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes.

2. Stir in lentils and tomatoes, then add the vegetable broth and water.

3. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 1 hour or until lentils are tender. 

Caribbean Casserole (2)
This tropical-inspired dish is gently spiced for a rich flavor.
 1 medium onion, chopped 
½ green pepper, diced 
1 tablespoon canola oil 
1 14½-ounce can stewed tomatoes 
1 16-ounce can black beans (or beans of your choice) 
1 teaspoon oregano leaves 
½ teaspoon garlic powder 
1½ cups instant brown rice, uncooked 

1. Saute onion and green pepper in canola oil, in a large pan, until tender. Do not brown.

2. Add tomatoes, beans (include liquid from both), oregano, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil. Stir in rice and cover. Reduce heat to simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.


Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls (Gỏi Cuốn) (3)

1 C carrots, cut into long, thin strips
2 C bean sprouts 
2 C cucumber, seeded and cut into long, thin strips
1 C minced scallions 
½ C chopped fresh cilantro 
¼ C chopped fresh mint 
8 rice paper wrappers

1. Toss first six ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Soak one rice paper wrapper in warm water until soft (1 to 2 minutes). Shake off excess water.
3. Place vegetable filling off-center on rice paper, and fold like an egg roll (tuck in the sides to keep the filling inside).
4. Repeat with remaining vegetable filling and rice paper wrappers.
5. Once you have assembled all of the spring rolls, serve immediately.