Heart Healthy Lifestyle Tips + Chicken Quinoa Soup Recipe

It’s finally February, which means the official start to American Heart Month! To begin the month in both an educational and flavorful way, we are sharing some heart-healthy lifestyle tips along with a tasty Chicken Quinoa Soup recipe for those cold winter nights.Heart disease can happen at almost any age, so American Heart Month is the perfect opportunity to take the time to learn about how you can reduce your risk. The top three risk factors for developing heart disease include smoking, high blood cholesterol, and high blood pressure. While some risk factors are non-modifiable, there are several risk factors you can reduce through lifestyle changes. See below for guidelines on how to take control of your heart health.

Choose heart-healthy fats, reduce saturated fats, and avoid trans fats

The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat intake and avoiding any artificial trans fats and hydrogenated fats. Here are four ways to increase your heart-healthy fat consumption:

1. Eat cold-water fish at least twice per week. Aim to choose fatty fish like salmon, albacore tuna, herring, lake trout, mackerel, and sardines to get essential omega-3 fatty acids.
2. Incorporate nuts and seeds into your snacks. Add 1 oz. (a handful) of unsalted nuts and seeds like almonds, walnuts, pistachios, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds to help give you healthy fats, protein, and fiber.
3. Add avocado. Slice on top of your salad or use as a spread for your sandwich to incorporate healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
4. Choose the right oils. For cooking and dressings, aim for oils lower in saturated fats and higher in monounsaturated fats. Choose from avocado, olive, peanut, sesame, grapeseed, walnut, flaxseed, and sunflower oils.

Aim for low sodium options

The majority of sodium in our diets comes from packaged foods and foods from restaurants. Find out more about how to reduce your sodium intake by checking out the CDC You can also flavor your food with non-salt options, which we will be posting about later this month.

Increase soluble fiber intake

Dietary fiber (especially soluble fiber) prevents the absorption of cholesterol in your blood. Aim to eat 25-30 grams of fiber daily from fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Examples of foods high in soluble fiber include steel-cut oats, beans, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and flaxseeds.

Be mindful of carbohydrate portions

Aim for SHIFT’s Balanced Plate proportions (1/2 vegetables, 1/4 lean protein, and 1/4 complex carbohydrates) at meals, and try to get your carbohydrates from either fruits or complex sources like starchy vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.

Maintain an active lifestyle

Regular exercise helps maintain a healthy weight and helps keep the heart and blood vessels healthy. Talk to a SHIFT Fitness Coach for assistance in developing a program that is right for your heart.

‍Reduce alcohol intake and quit smoking‍

Talk with a SHIFT Physician about strategies for making lifestyle and behavior changes to reduce your overall risk.

‍