Take Your Heart Health to Heart

Regardless of cardiovascular concern, fibre is an important component of any diet. Known for its ability to “move things along” digestively, fibre is also an important factor in regulating blood sugar levels. Keeping glucose levels stabilized will reduce the risk of plaque formation on artery walls.

Fibre is also an effective way to lower cholesterol levels, as fibre is very efficient at binding cholesterol and removing it from the bloodstream. Aim to get 25 g of fibre per day if you’re a woman and 38 g for a man, ensuring the sources are a good mix of soluble and insoluble fibre.

Eat plenty of fruits and veggies

With so many treatment options on the market, from both pharmaceutical and nutraceutical perspectives, we often forget the importance of a well-balanced diet, and that includes colourful fruits and vegetables.

Phytonutrients are the active biochemical component in the skins of fruits and vegetables and are responsible for providing antioxidants in our diet. Antioxidants help neutralize any free-radical damage in the body—damage caused not only by external factors such as environmental toxins but also by our own cells when creating energy.

Phytonutrients not only contribute to heart health but have also been recently discovered to help feed the good bacteria in the gut (also known as prebiotics). If you find it difficult to get all your daily servings of phytonutrient-rich foods, consider incorporating a high quality food-based supplement into your routine.

Get moving!

One of the best ways to love your heart is by getting it pumping. The important thing to remember when working out is to keep switching it up—alternate using weight training, high intensity interval training (HIIT), and restorative exercise (such as yoga or Pilates) to keep your body guessing. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity a week, with muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days per week.