Have you or a loved one been diagnosed with heart disease or would you like to learn more about maintaining a heart-healthy diet?
UConn Health wants to help you and your family prevent cardiovascular diseases like heart attack and stroke, which remain the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.
“Although February is Heart Month, focusing on healthy cooking and nutrition is important every month,” says Allison Mitchell, a registered dietitian at UConn Health.
But what exactly is heart-healthy eating and cooking?
A team of experts at UConn Health strongly recommends eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, lean protein (including plant-based protein), nuts, and seeds, and limiting your intake of red meat, excess sodium, added sugars, and saturated fats found in many processed foods. Diets such as the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet, and the plant-based diet have all been shown to be beneficial for heart health.
Additionally, engaging in at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking or cycling, can lower your risk of developing heart disease and other chronic diseases, improve sleep quality, promote weight change, and increase your overall quality of life and sense of well-being.
After making basic lifestyle changes, UConn Health cardiologists also want to help patients understand their family history of heart disease along with the yearly cardiovascular health numbers they need to keep in healthy ranges to prevent conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
“We all need to be proactive about our health and follow a heart-healthy diet, such as a Mediterranean diet or a plant-based diet,” said Dr. John Glenn Tiu, director of the Preventive Cardiology Program at the Calhoun Heart Center at the University of Connecticut Health School.
UConn Health’s new executive chef, Kalet Garcia, completely agrees.
“You need to feed your body the right foods to give it energy and keep your heart healthy. Eating healthy will make you feel good and give your body the right fuel,” says Garcia, who cooks with cholesterol-free lentils. Garcia recommends whole grains, lots of vegetables, and fish as foods that are really good for your heart.
Experts all agree that eating a heart-healthy diet can help prevent cardiovascular disease and many other chronic illnesses.
“80 percent of cardiovascular disease is largely preventable through changes in diet, exercise and maintaining a healthy weight. These three basic lifestyle choices are key to reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease for you and our nation,” emphasized Tiu.
“Whether you have heart disease, are at high risk for cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke, or consider yourself a very healthy person, at the end of the day, eating a heart-healthy diet and exercising daily will make you feel better and reduce your chances of developing heart disease and other chronic diseases,” Tieu says.
Mitchell adds: “A heart-healthy diet is also good for your immune system and gut health!”
upon Thursday, February 15th 12pm – 1pm UConn Health’s Calhoun Heart Center goes virtual “Heart Healthy Kitchen”
Pre-register for the webinar Here, you’ll learn how to eat a heart-healthy diet and how to create heart-healthy meals like this citrus lentil salad with grilled salmon (or other lean protein alternatives like chicken.) UConn Health experts joining the webinar include:
- Karette Garcia, executive chef, UConn Health;
- John Glenn Tiu, MD, FACC, RPVI, director of the Preventive Cardiology Program and assistant professor of medicine at UConn Health Calhoun Cardiology Center;
- Allison Mitchell, MS, RD, Registered Dietitian, Clinical Nutrition Manager, UConn Health;
