It is important to pay attention to heart health all year long, and with February being Heart Health Month, now is a good time to establish a healthy eating plan.
The leading cause of death in the United States is heart disease. Following a heart-healthy diet is the best way to care for your heart. These guidelines are not just for those with heart disease or a history in their family, they are for everyone.
The American Heart Association (AHA) encourages the public to make heart-healthy decisions with their diet. The guidelines emphasize dietary patterns, not specific foods or nutrients. These guidelines don’t focus on what you shouldn’t be eating but what you should eat. This helps people develop an eating plan customized to their preferences and style.
Here are the nine diet and lifestyle recommendations intended to reduce cardiovascular disease risk:
These guidelines can be applied both at home and when eating out. Improving lifestyle and dietary habits is a critical part of any cardiovascular risk reduction strategy. These recommendations from the AHA are just one of several eating plans that help keep your heart healthy. Other heart-healthy eating plans are the DASH diet, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and the Mediterranean diet.
Written by Vicki Hayman, MS, University of Wyoming Extension Nutrition and Food Safety Educator
Source:
Email: nfs@uwyo.edu
Extension Educator:Vicki Hayman – (307) 746-3531
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For more information, contact a University of Wyoming Nutrition and Food Safety Educator at nfs@uwyo.edu or Ask an Expert.
Extension Educator: Vicki Hayman – (307) 746-3531
Issued in furtherance of extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Kelly Crane, Director, University of Wyoming Extension, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming Extension, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071.
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