How to Improve Your Family's Heart Health
Have more fruits and veggies around the house., Use less meat in home-cooked meals., Get whole-grain bread and noodles., Eat less of the nutrient poor foods., Reduce saturated and trans fats., Serve healthy fats., Check labels for sodium content...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Have more fruits and veggies around the house.
Fruits and vegetables are vital parts of a healthy and nutritious diet.
Not only do they provide plenty of vitamins and minerals that support heart health, they provide filling fiber.
Since fruits and veggies are also low in calories and have lots of flavor, they make for great snacks.Wash and cut veggies and keep in them your fridge for a quick and easy snack.
Keep fruit on your counter so it will catch a snack-seeker’s attention.
Draw silly faces on bananas or citrus fruit to make them even more appealing.
If you do get canned options, make sure to select low-sodium vegetables and fruits that are packed in either their own juice or water. -
Step 2: Use less meat in home-cooked meals.
Preparing and eating meals at home is one of the easiest ways to cut down on unhealthy ingredients.
However, many people are used to cooking and serving meat as the main course in family meals, which is not the healthiest option for your family’s heart health.Vegetable or legume-based dishes should be prominently featured in home cooked meals.
Beans in particular contain plenty of protein and fiber with much less fat, and are a great alternative to meat.
A veggie stir-fry, for instance, can often please the whole family, and a fruit salad makes for a great side.
Add more vegetables to your meat dishes as well. , Bread and pasta are staples in many family kitchens.
While high-fiber options tend to be healthy for your heart, others can actually hinder your health.
In particular, choose 100% whole wheat or whole grain bread, or loaves that list whole-wheat flour as their first ingredient.Lean towards whole grain pasta and other whole grain options like brown rice, barley, and buckwheat.
Have your kids help you pick things like cereal and crackers.
Show them how to check nutritional labels and give them tasks like, "Find a box that has at least 5 grams of fiber per serving." In general, try to avoid heavily-processed, low fiber foods.
The less sugar the better. , Nutrient poor foods are those that are high in calories and fat, but that contain less nutritional value.
Examples include sodas, potato chips, cookies, crackers, and candy.
Try to avoid or severely limit these nutrient poor foods., Saturated and trans fats significantly contribute to your cholesterol levels, and thus you and your family’s risk of heart complications.
While eating some saturated fats is allowable, try to avoid trans fats entirely.
Red meat is one of the most common contributors to saturated fat consumption, as are dairy products.More specifically, check the nutritional labels of the food you’re buying.
No more than 14 grams of saturated fats or 2 grams of trans fat should be eaten daily.
If your household does consume meat, lean towards low-fat, high-protein options, such as chicken.
As a rule of thumb, only purchase meats with less than 10% fat and trim visible fat off cuts of meat before cooking it.
Always select low-fat dairy options, such as fat-free milk or yogurt.
Always check the label on packaged food.
Trans fat can hide in some unlikely foods, such as crackers. , Monounsaturated fats, such as those in olive oil, and polyunsaturated fats, such as those in avocados, nuts and seeds, and some fish, are actually great for your heart.
While all fats are high in calories and should be eaten in moderation, these types of fats can actually help lower your cholesterol.Get in the habit of cooking with olive oil or another oil high in mono/poly-saturated fats instead of butter.
Flax is especially healthy for your heart.
You can use the oil to cook with, or simply eat the seeds with low-fat yogurt, low-sugar applesauce, or whole-grain oats.
Try to serve cold-water fish like salmon or mackerel once a week for family meals, and have more nuts around for snacking in between meals. , Many people consume too much sodium, which can raise blood pressure and contribute to heart disease.
Note that you should be eating no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day.
That amount is present in about a teaspoon of salt.
Fortunately, it’s easier to reduce sodium consumption than you may think.Try seasoning food with herbs and spices instead of salt.
Watch out for mixed seasonings though; salt is often a main ingredient.
Avoid canned, processed, or packaged foods whenever possible.
When you do purchase these types of foods, opt for low-sodium options.
Note that frozen meals and pizzas are especially high in sodium content.
Be sure to check condiments too, which also often come in low-sodium options. , Steering clear of added sugars is also a god strategy for improving your family’s heart health.
Check labels on the products you buy and pass on any items that include high amounts of sugar.
Try to stick with products with no added sugar or that have a very low amount.
The American Heart Association recommends that women consume no more than 6 teaspoons (100 calories worth) of added sugar per day and men consume no more than 9 teaspoons (150 calories worth) of sugar per day., Getting your family’s blood pressures taken regularly is a good way to monitor your heart health progress.
You can visit a blood pressure monitoring station at a drug store, or get your blood pressure taken at your doctor’s office.
You can even purchase a blood pressure monitor to use at home., Smoking is bad for your heart and it can lead to serious complications such as heart attacks and strokes.
It can also damage the structures in your heart and reduce the functioning of your blood vessels.If you or anyone in your family is a smoker, then do what you can to quit.
Talk with your doctor to find out about smoking cessation options that may help you and/or your family members., Managing your stress is another important part of keeping a healthy heart.Be sure to make time for stress reduction in your daily routine.
Set aside at least 15 minutes per day to meditate, breathe deeply, or do some yoga. -
Step 3: Get whole-grain bread and noodles.
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Step 4: Eat less of the nutrient poor foods.
-
Step 5: Reduce saturated and trans fats.
-
Step 6: Serve healthy fats.
-
Step 7: Check labels for sodium content.
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Step 8: Check labels for sugar content.
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Step 9: Monitor your blood pressure.
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Step 10: Don’t smoke.
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Step 11: Practice stress reduction and relaxation techniques to keep your heart healthy.
Detailed Guide
Fruits and vegetables are vital parts of a healthy and nutritious diet.
Not only do they provide plenty of vitamins and minerals that support heart health, they provide filling fiber.
Since fruits and veggies are also low in calories and have lots of flavor, they make for great snacks.Wash and cut veggies and keep in them your fridge for a quick and easy snack.
Keep fruit on your counter so it will catch a snack-seeker’s attention.
Draw silly faces on bananas or citrus fruit to make them even more appealing.
If you do get canned options, make sure to select low-sodium vegetables and fruits that are packed in either their own juice or water.
Preparing and eating meals at home is one of the easiest ways to cut down on unhealthy ingredients.
However, many people are used to cooking and serving meat as the main course in family meals, which is not the healthiest option for your family’s heart health.Vegetable or legume-based dishes should be prominently featured in home cooked meals.
Beans in particular contain plenty of protein and fiber with much less fat, and are a great alternative to meat.
A veggie stir-fry, for instance, can often please the whole family, and a fruit salad makes for a great side.
Add more vegetables to your meat dishes as well. , Bread and pasta are staples in many family kitchens.
While high-fiber options tend to be healthy for your heart, others can actually hinder your health.
In particular, choose 100% whole wheat or whole grain bread, or loaves that list whole-wheat flour as their first ingredient.Lean towards whole grain pasta and other whole grain options like brown rice, barley, and buckwheat.
Have your kids help you pick things like cereal and crackers.
Show them how to check nutritional labels and give them tasks like, "Find a box that has at least 5 grams of fiber per serving." In general, try to avoid heavily-processed, low fiber foods.
The less sugar the better. , Nutrient poor foods are those that are high in calories and fat, but that contain less nutritional value.
Examples include sodas, potato chips, cookies, crackers, and candy.
Try to avoid or severely limit these nutrient poor foods., Saturated and trans fats significantly contribute to your cholesterol levels, and thus you and your family’s risk of heart complications.
While eating some saturated fats is allowable, try to avoid trans fats entirely.
Red meat is one of the most common contributors to saturated fat consumption, as are dairy products.More specifically, check the nutritional labels of the food you’re buying.
No more than 14 grams of saturated fats or 2 grams of trans fat should be eaten daily.
If your household does consume meat, lean towards low-fat, high-protein options, such as chicken.
As a rule of thumb, only purchase meats with less than 10% fat and trim visible fat off cuts of meat before cooking it.
Always select low-fat dairy options, such as fat-free milk or yogurt.
Always check the label on packaged food.
Trans fat can hide in some unlikely foods, such as crackers. , Monounsaturated fats, such as those in olive oil, and polyunsaturated fats, such as those in avocados, nuts and seeds, and some fish, are actually great for your heart.
While all fats are high in calories and should be eaten in moderation, these types of fats can actually help lower your cholesterol.Get in the habit of cooking with olive oil or another oil high in mono/poly-saturated fats instead of butter.
Flax is especially healthy for your heart.
You can use the oil to cook with, or simply eat the seeds with low-fat yogurt, low-sugar applesauce, or whole-grain oats.
Try to serve cold-water fish like salmon or mackerel once a week for family meals, and have more nuts around for snacking in between meals. , Many people consume too much sodium, which can raise blood pressure and contribute to heart disease.
Note that you should be eating no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day.
That amount is present in about a teaspoon of salt.
Fortunately, it’s easier to reduce sodium consumption than you may think.Try seasoning food with herbs and spices instead of salt.
Watch out for mixed seasonings though; salt is often a main ingredient.
Avoid canned, processed, or packaged foods whenever possible.
When you do purchase these types of foods, opt for low-sodium options.
Note that frozen meals and pizzas are especially high in sodium content.
Be sure to check condiments too, which also often come in low-sodium options. , Steering clear of added sugars is also a god strategy for improving your family’s heart health.
Check labels on the products you buy and pass on any items that include high amounts of sugar.
Try to stick with products with no added sugar or that have a very low amount.
The American Heart Association recommends that women consume no more than 6 teaspoons (100 calories worth) of added sugar per day and men consume no more than 9 teaspoons (150 calories worth) of sugar per day., Getting your family’s blood pressures taken regularly is a good way to monitor your heart health progress.
You can visit a blood pressure monitoring station at a drug store, or get your blood pressure taken at your doctor’s office.
You can even purchase a blood pressure monitor to use at home., Smoking is bad for your heart and it can lead to serious complications such as heart attacks and strokes.
It can also damage the structures in your heart and reduce the functioning of your blood vessels.If you or anyone in your family is a smoker, then do what you can to quit.
Talk with your doctor to find out about smoking cessation options that may help you and/or your family members., Managing your stress is another important part of keeping a healthy heart.Be sure to make time for stress reduction in your daily routine.
Set aside at least 15 minutes per day to meditate, breathe deeply, or do some yoga.
About the Author
John Ellis
Experienced content creator specializing in hobbies guides and tutorials.
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