A client came to me for an appointment because she was surprised at a recent physical to discover that she had high cholesterol. She's only 31 and works very hard to provide a clean diet for herself and her family, eating organic foods, and not eating a lot of processed foods. It never entered her mind that she might have high cholesterol.
In our conversation, I shared with her some simple yet effective ways to start making heart-healthy changes to her diet. While this isn't an exhaustive list, it highlights the top five foods to incorporate for better heart health.
These dietary changes should ideally accompany other lifestyle adjustments like quitting smoking, avoiding trans-fatty acids, and introducing regular exercise into your routine.
Even just a 15 minute walk a day if that's all you can do to start. I'm a fan of using the free app Charity Miles which makes a donation to your favorite charity for each mile you walk, run, or bike. The donations are from ads so there's no cost to you. It's a win for everyone.
Here are some heart-healthy foods to add to your diet:
Flax Seed: Rich in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, flax seeds can help reduce total and LDL cholesterol. Their nutty flavor makes them a perfect addition to baked goods, cereals, or smoothies.
Oat Bran: High in soluble fiber, oat bran is effective in lowering LDL cholesterol. It can be enjoyed as a cereal or used in baking muffins, cookies, or bread.
Cold Water Fish: Foods like salmon, sardines, tuna, rainbow trout, and herring are excellent sources of heart-healthy omega-3 oils and provide quality protein.
Garlic: Known to lower total cholesterol and triglycerides while boosting HDL cholesterol, garlic also helps reduce platelet aggregation. You can learn more about the benefits of garlic in my dedicated article here.
Foods high in Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10): Spinach is high in Co-Q10, which is important for heart (and muscle) health, as well as lutein, an antioxidant which can help reduce hardening of the arteries, spinach is a wonderful food to add to the diet. Spinach is also high in folate which is effective in reducing homocysteine in the blood and magnesium which is helpful for reducing blood pressure.
Although more greens in the diet are always a good thing, spinach isn't actually one of the highest sources of Coenzyme Q10. This can be found in beef, beef liver, seafood, poultry, avocado, nuts and seeds, lentils, and cruciferous vegetables.
Remember, being heart-healthy isn't just about what you eat; it's also about staying active. Regular physical activity, like walking, jogging, or running, is crucial for weight control, cardiac health, stress reduction, and overall mood enhancement.
If you're curious about how far you're walking or running and don't have a pedometer, consider using the Charity Miles app to track your distance while also contributing to a good cause.