How to Have a Heart-Healthy Diet

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Even after Heart Health Month has passed, you should try to have heart healthy foods every day of the year. By following a heart healthy diet and living a healthy lifestyle, you may be able to completely avoid heart disease, while sufferers can lessen its life-threatening effects. Luckily, it’s easy to incorporate heart healthy meals and snacks into your daily routine. And if you currently suffer from a heart-related illness, just as important as eating a heart healthy diet is regularly taking the medication you need to manage your condition. Heart health is important for everyone, but especially if you have diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetics have a higher risk of heart disease, but the condition can be easily managed through a proper diet, lifestyle, and medication. Unfortunately, too many people don’t take the medication they need because they simply can’t afford it. But now, some concerned companies are helping make heart medication more affordable through special prescription savings programs. At MD Now Urgent Care, we want to help you stay healthy, so we’re sharing a few unbeatable heart healthy eating tips:

Manage Your Meals: The cornerstones of eating for heart health are proper portions and overall balance. At every meal, have non-starchy vegetables and fruits fill up half of your plate. Then, add a small portion of low-fat protein like fish, poultry, lean meats, beans, or tofu. Make a little room for complex carbohydrates and whole grains. With all of your choices, be sure to concentrate on having mono- and polyunsaturated fats. Perhaps enjoy some fresh fruit for dessert. With today’s interest in health, it’s easy to find all kinds of delicious, fast, and simple heart healthy recipes for any time of the day.

Reduce Your Sodium Intake: Did you know that eating too much sodium can greatly increase your risk of heart disease? Few people do. And even fewer realize that the U.S. daily recommendation for sodium is no more than 2,300 milligrams a day or that people with high blood pressure should not exceed 1,500 milligrams of sodium each day. Try to limit your intake of high-sodium foods like packaged items and restaurant meals. Instead of salty chips and pretzels, try heart healthy snacks such as fresh fruit, vegetables, and yogurt. And you can save both your heart and your money by enjoying more heart healthy meals at home that include lean meats, fish, poultry, vegetables, and healthy grains.

Cut Out Trans Fats: Medical experts warn that trans fats are extremely dangerous because they can raise your LDL or “bad” cholesterol level, while lowering your level of HDL or “good” cholesterol. This a recipe for heart disease. Since trans fats are often hiding in snack foods, seek out heart healthy snacks instead.

Curb Your Intake of Saturated Fat: Saturated fat is in fattier meats like beef, lamb, and venison, as well as high-sodium cuts such as ham and bacon. While these can be enjoyed in small amounts occasionally, try to have more heart healthy foods in their place and prepare heart healthy recipes at home that are low in saturated fat.

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MD Now^® Urgent Care Walk-In Medical Centers is the leading provider of fast and affordable urgent care to adults and children in Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties. Our state-of-the-art, walk-in medical centers are open seven days a week to deliver an affordable and convenient alternative to long emergency room wait times and the limited hours of family physicians. No appointment is necessary and major insurance plans are accepted. In addition to providing a comprehensive range of urgent care services to treat a variety of illnesses and injuries, our multiple locations offer digital x-rays, EKG, lab testing, physicals, immunizations, vaccines, occupational medicine, travel medicine and selected primary care services. Find the medical care you need with the convenience you want at MD Now. Online: www.MDNow.com.