Today we have another guest blog post from Britney Kennedy of OnPoint Nutrition. Britney has been helping people reduce their risk factors for heart disease by building a heart healthy regimen.  She gives us 3 easy tips to follow to begin building that regimen!

 

ID-100372601

 

Heart Health – Building a Heart Healthy Regimen

 

Heart disease is currently the #1 killer in the United States, with over 600,000 related deaths in 2013 (1).  You are at greater risk of developing heart disease if you have one or more of the following risk factors: high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol, obesity, physical inactivity, diabetes, and an unhealthy diet. While having one of these risk factors does not necessarily mean you will develop heart disease, having one or more greatly increases your chance (2).

 

Luckily, most risk factors for heart disease are modifiable. Meaning you have control, and can decrease your risk of developing heart disease. The first step in taking control of your heart health is by following a healthy balanced diet. A diet high in protein, fruits and vegetables, limiting your intake of processed high fat, high sodium foods is the key to a strong, healthy heart.

 

Regularly consuming foods high in sodium and saturated fat may increase your risk of developing heart disease. Recent studies have shown that 89% of adults and 90% of children consume over the recommended amount of sodium per day (2300 mg) (3). Similarly, saturated fat intake contributes to over 10% of the average American’s daily diet. The American Heart Association recommends limiting the amount of saturated fats you eat to less than 7% of your total daily calories.

 

Steps in Building a Heart Healthy Eating Regimen

 

 Limit the amount of processed foods you eat each day. Replace “snack” foods such as chips, snack mixes, and pretzels with fruit, low fat dairy foods, and unsalted nuts.

 

 When cooking, use herbs and salt free seasoning blends to add flavor to your meals, aiming to eat 80% of your meals at home. Meals eaten out may contain 800+ mg/sodium, almost half of the recommended daily upper limit.

 

 When shopping, aim to purchase the majority of your food from the perimeter of the store. This includes fresh fruits and vegetables, leans meats, low fat dairy foods, and whole grain, high fiber carbohydrates. Many foods found in the middle isles of the grocery store are highly processed and contain large amounts of sodium, added sugar, and fat. Fresh is always your best option.

 

About OnPoint NutritionBrittney_Website-6

OnPoint Nutrition is a Philadelphia weight loss company committed to helping people lose weight through one-on-one virtual nutrition counseling. Our philosophy is based upon three core principles: nutrition education, active coaching, and long-term success. Our company is positioned as a “nutritionist-in-your-pocket” that delivers nutrition coaching virtually at a fraction of a cost of clinical or medical service. We are proud to offer a client centered approach to nutrition and lifestyle improvements.

 

References

 

1. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus14.pdf#062

2. http://www.world-heart-federation.org/cardiovascular-health/cardiovascular-disease-risk-factors/

3. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6452a1.htm?s_cid=mm6452a1_w

4. Photo courtesy of Sira Anamwong at freedigitalphotos.net

 

Brent

Brent

President, Personal Training Manager at Body By Brent LLC
Brent
Brent
Brent