February is already filled with plenty of pink and red hearts, but this year, celebrate American Heart Month with heart-healthy foods and exercises instead of the chocolaty Valentine’s Day candy.  If you’re ready to take steps to improve your heart health, FitClub has your healthy diet covered with the best foods to eat and what to avoid for better heart health.

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Eat up!

Good heart health starts with a healthy diet. A diet that is rich in whole grains, vegetables, lean meats, and healthy fats can reduce the risk of heart disease and lead to longer and healthier lives.  A heart healthy diet should include plenty of leafy green vegetables like kale and spinach which are known to help the body properly clot blood and reduce blood pressure.  Researchers have found that a diet rich in leafy green vegetables leads to a reduced risk of heart disease.

Whole grains have also been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, but not all grains are created equally.  When shopping for whole grains, be sure to read the label and choose those labels that have the words “whole grain” or “whole wheat”.

Healthy fats, like those found in avocados, can reduce LDL cholesterol and reduce your risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Avocados also pack a potassium punch with just one avocado containing 28% of your daily potassium requirement.

Foods to limit

Saturated or trans fats, sugar, and heavily processed foods raise the risk for heart disease and should be eliminated from a heart healthy diet.  According to studies done by Harvard University, processed meat contains added salt and preservatives that are detrimental to cardiovascular health.  Processed meats include hot dogs, bacon, salami, and deli meats.  Likewise, sugary drinks add empty calories to your diet without any nutrient benefit. These calories also do not provide any relief to your hunger and can lead to unwanted weight gain, furthering the risks to your cardiovascular system.

Adding more real, unprocessed, healthy food to your diet will help you better maintain a healthy weight and enjoy a healthier cardiovascular system.  Balancing your healthy lifestyle with adequate exercise, stress management and high quality sleep help to round out the healthy lifestyle.

Will you celebrate Heart Month with a healthy diet? Do you take steps to improve your cardiovascular health through a better diet and plenty of exercise? Be sure to let us know what works for you!