With the holiday season just around the corner, your brain may be filled with gift ideas, meals to make and other winter traditions. You might already be in vacation mode or maybe you're zipping into holiday overdrive with a mile-long to-do list.
However you and your loved ones are celebrating the holiday season, there's one more important topic you should still be thinking about — your heart health.
This year, make thinking about your heart health a new holiday tradition with these easy tips.
1. Watch Out for Salt and Sodium
In addition to bringing a new heart-healthy recipe to the table, you can also keep an eye on the dishes you’re already eating or preparing — and how much sodium they contain.
Sodium is an important part of a well-balanced diet, but too much of it can be bad for your heart health. Too much sodium in your diet can lead to too much sodium in your bloodstream — and high blood pressure.
As you are putting together your plate for a holiday dinner, one way to limit the amount of sodium you use is to
skip using the salt shaker. Unfortunately, a lot of the sodium in your diet is actually coming from pre-prepared and packaged foods. Just passing on the salt shaker will only reduce your sodium intake by a small amount.
To make a bigger dent in your sodium intake, try incorporating these low-sodium, heart-healthy foods into your holiday menu this year — and all year long:
- Fresh veggies like carrots or spinach
- Whole grains like barley or quinoa
- Turkey breast without the skin
There are a lot of ways you can protect your heart health — besides just what you eat. Learn more about these surprisingly good-for-your-heart habits.
2. Try a New Heart-Healthy Dish
The holidays are often a time of tradition, and your family might have a set menu of holiday foods you enjoy. From Grandpa's turkey to Aunt Sally's twice-baked potatoes to Mom's kugel — you may feel like there's no room on the table for a new dish.
While it might be nerve-wracking to bring something new to your family's holiday celebrations, it can also be exciting to try something new — and it just so happens to be good for your heart.
Your heart health can be heavily impacted by the foods you eat. A balanced diet paired with regular exercise can help you protect your heart and prevent future heart conditions. Here are 3 heart-healthy recipes that are sure to become new family favorites this holiday:
If the holidays make you anxious about the foods you are eating, you're not alone. Try to remember that there's nothing wrong with enjoying your holiday meal. It's all about balance, moderation and making the healthiest choices for you.
Eating a heart-healthy diet doesn’t mean you can't still enjoy your favorite foods. Here's how you can enjoy your go-to comfort foods — while keeping nutrition in mind.
3. Don’t Let the Holidays Stress You Out
Heart health isn't just about the foods you eat. Maintaining your heart health is a full body — and mind — effort. Another way to celebrate and focus on heart health this holiday season is by decreasing stress.
You may know that too much stress can have a negative impact on your mental health, but it can cause damage to your physical health, too.
Stress can put a strain on your heart by:
-
Increasing inflammation
- Raising the amount of cholesterol and triglycerides (a kind of fat) in your blood
- Raising your blood pressure
- Causing your heart to beat out of rhythm
Managing holiday stress first starts by knowing what stressors to look out for. Some common stress triggers around the holidays include family and finances. And no one wants their holiday to be ruined by an argument or money anxiety.
Want to have a less stressful holiday? Check out these 4 tips to manage your stress this season.
Beyond just protecting your heart health, keeping your stress levels under control is good for the rest of your body, too. It can improve your sleep, weight, relationships and overall mood. You can have a happier and healthier life when you experience less stress — and take the necessary steps to manage it.
Be Thankful for Heart Health
Whether it's time spent with family to time off of work, there is so much to be thankful for this season. From all of us at Chester County Hospital, we wish you a happy holiday season — and remind you that you don’t have to go on your heart health journey alone.
By making small changes to your routine and mindset, heart health can be just one more thing you get to celebrate this year.
For more information on Heart and Vascular and Nutrition Wellness Programs at Chester County Hospital, call 800-789-PENN (7366) to connect with the Penn Heart and Vascular Center at Chester County Hospital. Or call the Wellness Line at 610-738-2300.