Take healthy habits to heart

February is American Heart Month. Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States. Keep your heart strong and healthy by adopting the following habits this month.

Reduce saturated fat in your diet. Foods such as cheese, ice cream and butter are very high in saturated fat which can raise your cholesterol. Limit these food items and look for the low-fat varieties.

– Eat more beans (red, black, navy, pinto) and legumes.

– Choose heart-healthy fats such as olive oil, canola oil, nuts, avocados, and peanut butter.

– Eat more berries. Frozen or fresh, berries are one of the most powerful disease-fighting foods.

– Cut back on beverages and foods with added sugars. Look at the ingredient list on the food label. If sugar is listed in the first three ingredients, then the product is high in sugar.

– Smile more.

– Soy products are healthy for the heart and they make great meat substitutes. Include more soy in your diet.

– Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt added. Limit sodium to no more than 2,300 mg per day. If you are older than 51, or have diabetes or kidney disease, limit your sodium intake to 1,500 mg per day.

– Avoid foods containing partially hydrogenated oils that contain heart-unhealthy trans fats.

– Stop smoking. No need to explain.

– Eat more fish. Salmon is one of the healthiest foods for the heart as it is high in omega 3 fatty acids.

– Select low-fat dairy products such as 1 percent or skim milk and low-fat yogurts and cheeses.

– Eat heart-healthy nuts such as almonds and walnuts for snacks.

– Eat a healthy breakfast high in fiber every day. (See recipe)

– Fill half of your plate with nonstarchy vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach, Brussels sprouts, and carrots.

– Drink plenty of water.

– Be “extra-active”. Take more stairs, walk more, and move whenever you can get extra activity.

– Choose healthy snacks such as yogurt, fruit, nuts, string cheese, raw veggies and low-fat dip, whole-grain crackers and cereal.