Syd Gibson, President
Heart Disease is the Number 1 cause of death in both men and women. A few suggestions to help lower your risk of heart disease can begin with watching your weight. Now, I do not mean getting on the scale and looking at your weight, saying something profound like, “Oh, really” and grabbing a bag of chips . Perhaps it would be better said to keep a healthy weight with a concerted effort to consume nutritional foods at every meal and eating popcorn seasoned with Rosemary instead of salt and drinking perhaps a glass of iced tea without sugar.
Do not smoke and stay away from secondhand smoke which can be just as bad for your health.
Control your cholesterol and your blood pressure by eating baked or broiled foods and avoiding trans fats. Eating raw vegetables on a salad with salad dressing such as oil and vinegar or consuming fresh fruits such as apples and bananas or berries which contain natural sugars or satisfy your sweet tooth or we have also been informed that dark chocolate is heart healthy when consumed in moderation.
If you drink alcohol, please drink in moderation. We need to keep in mind that red wine is on the list of foods that are heart healthy not totally depriving ourselves and only consuming water and a crust of whole grain bread.
Get active and stay active for a heart healthy February. Walk around the block or to the beach for a beautiful sunset 20 minutes a day. Getting outside and enjoying our lovely Florida weather walking, bicycling, playing tennis or running a marathon is a natural way to keep fit and stay healthy.