When we talk about the importance of self-care or loving yourself, this usually includes skin care, bingeing TV series, or retail therapy. Our hearts often get overlooked when thinking about self-care treatment until something goes wrong. Caring for your heart is one of the greatest acts of love you can do for yourself and your loved ones. Following along with a heart-healthy diet isn’t about restriction, but improving your heart and cardiovascular health by adding in delicious whole-foods using all of the essential nutrients. Eating all of the essential nutrients: protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, will support longevity and the energy to live more fully. We will explore these five essential nutrients and how to use whole foods to make simple meals and snacks that have the nutrients in balance. As the saying goes, “Love with your whole heart,” and that includes loving the heart itself!

Protein:

Protein is the builder of cells, and is especially useful by helping build one of our biggest muscles, the heart! Start getting healthy protein into your diet using nuts and seeds, legumes, beans, low-fat dairy options, and eggs. Fish and seafood are a great source of protein, with fish like salmon or ahi tuna providing additional health benefits, as they contain omega-3 fatty acids. 

Meat and poultry are high-protein options; choosing the lean cuts of meat and poultry will reduce the saturated fat intake that comes with eating animal products. Increased saturated fat intake, which comes more from red meats and processed meat (like bacon or hot dogs), has a direct association with risk of heart disease and death. Most healthy adults should consume 0.8 grams(g) of protein per kilogram(kg) of their current body weight per day to meet protein needs. Choosing protein plant options, seafood, and lean meats will provide your heart the ability to stay supportive and strong. 

Breakfast Idea

  • Egg burrito made with: 2 scrambled eggs, 1 oz low fat cheese, 1 whole grain tortilla, ¼ cup rinsed black beans, add salsa or hot sauce as desired. Add side of 1 medium orange – season burrito as desired with low sodium options, add bell pepper, onion, or other veggies to the eggs for more nutrients!

TIP: Eggs can be a part of a heart healthy diet. Eaten in moderation, eggs are a low sodium, low calorie, high protein option! 

Fat:

Eating the right kinds of fats is essential for heart protection. “Healthy fats”, also called unsaturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats, are the types of fats to look for on the food labels. For example, omega-3 fatty acids are a polyunsaturated fat! These fat nutrients help to reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol, and help with absorbing vitamins and minerals. Healthy fats include olive or vegetable oils, nuts and nut butters, avocado, seeds (like flaxseed and chia seeds), and fish.

“Unhealthy fats”, also known as saturated fats, can be eaten healthily in small amounts, but overconsumption can lead to heart issues. Saturated fats come from animal products like meat, dairy, butter, lard, eggs, some topical oils, and processed foods. It is best for the heart to be eating only 13g-22g of saturated fat or less daily. To maintain heart health, it is important to limit the total amount of fat you eat (including healthy fats!) to 25-35% of the calories you eat. So, if you should eat 2,000 calories per day, your total fat intake would equal between 50grams(g)-75g of fat daily. Trans fats are another “unhealthy” fat that should be overall avoided. Trans fats are found in stick margarine, shortening, fried foods, and some packaged processed foods.

Lunch Idea

  • Turkey Avocado Sandwich made with: 2 slices whole wheat bread (toasted), 2 tablespoons avocado mashed with 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, spread on bread, top with 3oz cooked turkey breast.
  • Side Salad made with: ½ cup cucumber slices, ½ cup tomato slices, 1 tbsp sunflower seeds, 1 tsp Italian dressing.

TIP: Examine your day – if there are missing nutrients in your day, or you have eaten mostly only one nutrient, use snacks to fill in nutrition gaps!

Carbohydrates:

Carbohydrates (carbs) are fuel for our body and help bring sweetness to our heart, because sugar is a carb! Starch and fiber are also part of the carbohydrate family. For instance, when eating an orange, you are eating both sugar and fiber, both carbohydrates! When eating whole-wheat bread, you are eating both starch and fiber, both carbohydrates! The best choices of carbohydrates include fiber, whole-grains, oats, quinoa, whole-wheat/grain flour in baking or breads, brown rice, beans, legumes, fruits, and vegetables are the healthiest. Fiber is critical to heart health by pulling cholesterol out of the body and lowering risk of heart disease.

There is a direct connection to over intake of refined sugar and added sugar consumption and heart disease risk factors. It is recommended to eat no more than 24g (6tsp) added sugar for women and 36g (9tsp) for men daily. Natural sugars in fruits, vegetables, grains, and milk do not negatively impact our health the same way that sugars added during processing do. When you pick whole, unrefined carbohydrates, you’re fueling your body with energy to keep going.

Snack Idea

  • DIY trail mix: add two or more of your favorite nuts like peanuts, almonds, or pepitas. Throw in a crunch with popcorn, roasted chick peas, parmesan crisps, or whole grain chex. Add a dried fruit like Craisins or dried apricots. Make it extra sweet and add in dark chocolate pieces or M&Ms in moderation!

TIP: Eating some simple sugar like chocolate with foods that contain protein, fat, and fiber like nuts, beans, or cheese – can help reduce the spike in blood sugar, prevent inflammation, and reduce risk factors for diabetes and heart disease.

Vitamins, minerals:

Vitamins and minerals are the worker bees of the whole self. Both vitamins and minerals contain many essential nutrients that work behind the scenes to keep processes moving and provide protection to the body. These nutrients support heart rhythm, reduce inflammation, and protect from disease-causing oxidative stress. Vitamins and minerals come from whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds, and animal products. The most available sources usually come from a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables.

When food is processed, companies remove essential vitamins and minerals in the refining process for food preservation. Also in processing, companies can add back in an unbalanced amount of mineral-containing preservatives that can negatively affect our heart. For instance, salt, or sodium, is used in excess in processed foods to keep them shelf-stable. Excess sodium in the body can impair muscle and nerve function, fluid overload, and cause high blood pressure. It is recommended to intake less than 2,000mg of sodium daily to prevent these negative cardiovascular symptoms. Some sodium within the diet is necessary; the whole foods discussed in this article provide low-sodium options that give the body what it needs to keep up heart health!

Dinner Idea

  • Turkey meatballs: See recipe at the end of the article! Pair with 1 small baked potato, 1 tbsp fat-free sour cream, 1 tbsp reduced-fat cheddar cheese, 1 tbsp scallions. 1 small whole wheat roll with 1 tsp of tub margarine. 1 cup of a green vegetable like green beans or asparagus sautéed with ½ tsp olive oil. ½ cup canned pears – in own juice.

TIP: First plan your fruits and vegetables for the day and plan snacks and meals around these. It is recommended to eat 2 ½ cups of vegetables daily and 2 cups fruit daily. This can be done using fresh, frozen, or canned – without added fat, salt, or sugar.

At the end of the day, eating a balance of every nutrient is an act of love to yourself. Every food choice is an opportunity to nourish your heart with intention and care. These nutrients can make positive health impacts from cardiovascular health, diabetes, kidney health, and more. Small choices made consistently add up to daily self-care habits. Love your whole self, with whole, simple foods.

Submitted by Anna Fee