3 Heart-Healthy Habits
February is National Heart-Health Month. And to bring awareness, I want to give you three simple heart-healthy habits you should incorporate into your day.
3 heart-healthy habits
The beautiful thing about healthy habits is that you don’t have to make radical changes to see the benefit. These three habits are simple and can easily be accomplished each day.
1. Drink water
Research has shown a link between coronary heart disease and water consumption. And that’s because water maintains the proper viscosity of blood and plasma and fibrinogen distribution.
If you want a really simple way to figure out how much water you should be drinking each day multiply your weight by ⅔. Then consider your activity level. Be sure to add 12 ounces of water to your daily intake for every 30 minutes of exercise.
2. Eat more fiber
Fiber is heart-healthy for a couple of reasons. First, fiber is found to lower cholesterol levels. Plant-based foods like beans, oats, flaxseed, chia seeds, and oat bran may help lower total blood cholesterol levels by lowering low-density lipoprotein, or "bad," cholesterol levels.
Studies have also have shown that high-fiber foods may have other heart-health benefits, such as reducing blood pressure and inflammation.
So how do you practically get enough fiber each day?
It’s recommended that women consume 25 grams of fiber each day and men consume 38 grams of fiber each day. The easiest way is to start your day off with a high-fiber breakfast.
One of my favorite ways to ensure I’m getting fiber in is adding Bob's Red Mill Organic Whole Ground Flaxseed Meal to my smoothies in the morning. It has a mild, nutty flavor perfect for blending in smoothies, topping cereal, or mixing into baked goods for a wholesome nutritional boost.
We also love starting out morning with oatmeal using Bob’s Red Mill Old Fashion Rolled Oats. One serving contains 4 g of fiber, 54g whole grains, and 7g protein and is a good source of iron. And if you need gluten-free options, all varieties are processed in their dedicated gluten-free facility and are tested to confirm their purity.
It’s really easy to get halfway to your fiber goal just by starting with a bowl of oatmeals topped with fresh berries! Try one of my favorite breakfast recipes below.
Cinnamon Roll Oats
Ingredients:
½ cup Bob’s Red Mill Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
1 tbsp Bob’s Red Mill Whole Chia Seeds
1 to 2 tbsp crushed pecans
1 tbsp almond butter
1/2 tsp pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients into a bowl and eat like cereal. Or you can heat in the microwave for 1 minute or until warm.
Learn more about the health benefits of BRM products and find recipes, cooking tips, and meal
plans at bobsredmill.com.
3. Be active
According to the American Heart Association, only about one in five adults and teens get enough exercise to maintain good health. But exercise doesn’t mean you have to get a gym membership. Being active could mean going for regular walks and spending less time sitting.
The American Heart Association recommends adults get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination of both preferably spread throughout the week.