Heart Healthy Holidays

With some planning, it is possible to enjoy a heart-healthy holiday season. Let's start with food. There are delicious recipes for you on the American Heart Association's website.

Choose fresh food options as much as possible. Eating natural (not processed) healthy foods can help lower the risk of heart attack and stroke. When grocery shopping, 75% of your cart should come from the outside perimeter of the store where all the live food is. The other 25% can come from canned, boxed, and pre-made prep items that help shorten your cooking time. Just make sure to read the labels. If you cannot pronounce the ingredient, chances are you should not consume it.

In cold weather, crock pot cooking is the best! This can help you take advantage of shortcuts without compromising the taste and quality. Most stews and soups are best once the ingredients have time to simmer and marinate so prepping the night before or even on the weekend will actually improve the taste.

If in a rush, look for canned vegetables with no added salt or ingredients you do not recognize. If you have difficulty finding them, the next best thing is to rinse them before putting them in the crockpot. You can find economically priced broth with low or no sodium at most grocery stores.

Finally, jazz up the taste with fresh herbs. Cilantro, parsley, basil, rosemary, and so forth are readily available in dried or fresh options. Before reaching for the salt, reach for herbs. You will be surprised how delicious you can make a recipe without adding sugar and table salt.

Next, let's look at stress factors. This time of year can leave one feeling stressed and overwhelmed. Take a moment to decide to take care of yourself. Stress is one of the leading causes of hypertension. Not to mention, it has a negative effect on relationships.

Here are a few tips and tricks to keep in mind:

Keep up healthy habits. Commit to yourself before the holiday season begins. If you don’t completely give up your healthy eating and exercise habits, you won’t feel like you have to start all over once the holidays are in the rearview.?

Fit in fitness. Try not to skip workouts, because exercise helps relieve stress. But when a full social calendar gets in the way, sprinkle some healthy activity like walking into your daily routine. Or do something active with the whole family.

Give yourself the gift of peace. When the invitations roll in, it is okay to say no to some of them. If you need some downtime to recharge for the next party, take a break. Do something that relaxes you, like yoga, meditation, reading, a warm bath, or spending time in nature (weather permitting).

Get your ZZZs. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night to stay in the healthy zone. Don’t let your wake-up time and bedtime get too far off your regular schedule. Nap when needed and ditch the digital devices at night. These simple steps can contribute to improving the type of sleep you have.

Everything in moderation. If you want to enjoy a treat (holiday treats are always the best) reduce your portion by half. Share it with someone so you enjoy the flavor and the friendship. Eat slowly, put the utensil down between bites, then stop when you feel satisfied. Resist the urge to clean your plate, even if it is Mom's famous recipe. If you want more, wait 20 minutes. Eat some delicious fruit, have a cup of hot tea or coffee, then wait and see... the desire might pass. Lastly, try not to keep treats in the house. After the party, ditch the treats.

I hope this short message is helpful. I wish you a heart health and happy holiday season. Have yourself a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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