It’s Back to School season, which is an exciting time. It’s also a time of transition. We’re tightening up our schedules and adding to our deadlines. These changes make it so easy to put nutrition last on the list, but this is exactly when we need to be more diligent about fueling ourselves properly and gearing our meals toward heart attack prevention and overall good health. This goal doesn’t need to mean more work. With a few key targets to keep in mind, you can provide your body with stress fighting nutrients. We all need the occasional reminder on the importance of healthy nutrition, so let us help. Heart attacks are optional! And one of the best ways to avoid them is to feed the body right.
Leafy greens
Foods such as collard greens and spinach provide excellent vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They’re a great source of vitamin K, which helps protect your arteries. They also contain dietary nitrates, which have been shown to reduce blood pressure and improve the function of cells lining the blood vessels.
Healthy fats
Extra Virgin Olive oil can help reduce blood pressure and lower the risk of developing heart disease. Make sure to select a high quality EVOO, as inferior olive oils may contain seed oils.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants help neutralize harmful free radicals, preventing oxidative damage and inflammation, both of which can contribute to heart disease. This group of foods include dark chocolate, berries, spinach, and avocados to name a few.
Anti Inflammatory foods
Foods such as garlic can lower blood pressure, reduce total cholesterol, and can inhibit platelet buildup, which may reduce the risk of blood clots and stroke. Be sure to consume garlic raw, or crush it and let it sit for a few minutes before cooking. This allows for the formation of allicin (the beneficial compound found in garlic), maximizing its potential health benefits.
Supplements
When used as an addition to our diet and not a replacement, nutritional supplements can help you bridge the gap between what you should eat, and what you do eat, every day. We recommend Juice Plus+ which is whole food based nutrition through a fruit, vegetable, and berry blend. Not a multivitamin, medicine, treatment, or cure for any disease, Juice Plus+ is made from quality ingredients that are carefully monitored from farm to capsule to provide natural nutrients your body needs to be at its best.
Visit our online store to view a range of supplements that address cardiovascular health, blood sugar support, gut health, and more.
To dive deeper into the connection of nutrition to preventative healthcare, please take a look at our books on nutrition. Heart attacks are optional! And one of the best ways to avoid them is to feed the body right.
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