As February rolls around, it’s time to turn our attention to matters of the heart – quite literally! February is Heart Health Month, a dedicated time to raise awareness about cardiovascular health and empower individuals, particularly women in midlife, to take proactive steps toward nurturing their heart’s well-being. Estrogen plays a key role in maintaining heart health in women, and when you enter menopause (and the drop in estrogen) heart issues can start to creep in.

As a nutritionist passionate about promoting heart health, I’m excited to share some valuable insights and practical tips to help you nourish your heart and prioritize cardiovascular wellness.

Before diving into specific dietary recommendations and lifestyle strategies, let’s take a moment to understand why heart health is so crucial. The heart is the powerhouse of our circulatory system, pumping blood and oxygen to every cell in the body. A healthy heart ensures optimal circulation, supports vital organ function, and reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks, strokes, and hypertension.

Nutrition plays a pivotal role in supporting heart health, and adopting a heart-healthy diet can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Here are some key dietary recommendations to promote heart health:

Embrace Plant-Based Foods

Incorporate plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds into your diet. These nutrient-rich foods are packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support heart health and reduce inflammation.

Choose Healthy Fats

Opt for heart-healthy fats such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish like salmon and mackerel. These fats help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Limit Saturated and Trans Fats

Reduce intake of saturated fats found in red meat, full-fat dairy products, and processed foods, as well as trans fats found in partially hydrogenated oils commonly used in fried and packaged foods. These fats can raise LDL cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease.

Watch Your Sodium Intake

Limit sodium intake by reducing consumption of processed and packaged foods, which are often high in sodium. Instead, season your meals with herbs, spices, lemon juice, and vinegar to add flavor without the extra salt.

Mindful Portion Control

Pay attention to portion sizes and avoid overeating, which can lead to weight gain and increase the risk of heart disease. Practice mindful eating by listening to your body’s hunger and fullness cues and eating slowly and attentively.

And, The Lifestyle Strategies

In addition to a heart-healthy diet, incorporating lifestyle habits that support cardiovascular wellness is essential. Here are some lifestyle strategies to prioritize heart health:

Stay Active

Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise each week, along with muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days per week. Regular physical activity improves heart health, lowers blood pressure, and reduces the risk of heart disease.

Manage Stress

Practice stress-reducing techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, yoga, or spending time in nature to lower stress levels and promote heart health. Chronic stress can contribute to high blood pressure and heart disease, so finding healthy ways to manage stress is crucial.

Get Quality Sleep

Prioritize getting seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night to support heart health and overall well-being. Poor sleep can contribute to high blood pressure, inflammation, and other risk factors for heart disease, so establishing healthy sleep habits is essential.

Quit Smoking

If you smoke, quitting is one of the best things you can do for your heart health. Smoking damages blood vessels, increases the risk of blood clots, raises blood pressure, and contributes to heart disease. Seek support from healthcare professionals or smoking cessation programs to quit smoking for good.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Aim for a healthy weight by adopting a balanced diet, staying physically active, and practicing portion control. Excess weight, especially around the abdomen, increases the risk of heart disease, so achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for heart health.

As we celebrate Heart Health Month this February, let’s commit to nurturing our hearts with love, care, and healthy habits. By adopting a heart-healthy diet, staying active, managing stress, getting quality sleep, quitting smoking, and maintaining a healthy weight, we can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and support our heart’s well-being for years to come.

Here’s to nourishing our hearts and living our healthiest, happiest lives!