Did you know your heart, at rest, works harder than the leg muscles of a person sprinting? Also, it only takes 16 seconds for the blood to go from your heart to your toes and back to your heart.
That is one hard-working organ!
Since your heart is your hardest working organ, it only makes sense to spend time each day taking care of it. Start by feeding it good, nutritious heart-healthy foods.
Make an effort in February, heart-healthy month, to change your eating habits to incorporate good-for-your-heart foods every day.
12 Heart-Healthy Foods to Add to Your Diet
- Fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, trout) - a great source of omega-3s
- Nuts (walnuts, almonds) - provides unsaturated fatty acids and satiety
- Berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries) - heart-healthy phytonutrients and soluble fiber
- Flaxseeds (ground or milled) - a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and phytoestrogens
- Oatmeal - provides beta-glucan, a fiber specifically good for cholesterol
- Dark beans (kidney or black beans) - high in fiber, B-vitamins and minerals
- Red, yellow and orange veggies (carrots, sweet potatoes, red peppers and acorn squash) - all the carotenoids, fiber and vitamins you need
- Spinach - rich in minerals, vitamins, pigments and phytonutrients
- Asparagus - a great source of beta-carotene, folate and fiber
- Tomatoes - good-for-you lycopene, vitamin C and alpha- and beta-carotene
- Dark chocolate (at least 70 percent cocoa) - a great source of flavanols, which help lower your blood pressure and prevent blood clots
- Broccoli - high in vitamins C and E, potassium, folate, calcium and fiber
