Nutrition for Heart Health- Keeping it Practical

Nutrition for heart health simply comes down to incorporating some basic diet and lifestyle practices to your day, that anyone can do...
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You have a very loyal friend that you may be taking for granted. This friend works tirelessly for you, 24/7, never stopping to take a break, in order to make sure your body has everything it needs to be healthy and happy. This friend is your heart! The heart, our body’s powerhouse, tirelessly pumps blood, delivering essential nutrients and oxygen to every cell in the body. Understanding some basics of how to optimize your nutrition for heart health can go a long way in giving that loyal friend a boost of support, and living a long, healthy life.

Our hearts are amazing, muscular organs.  But they do have vulnerabilities. Cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary artery disease, heart attacks, and strokes, are among the leading causes of death globally. Several risk factors contribute to these conditions, including high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, obesity, diabetes, consuming alcohol, and smoking. While genetics do play a role in one’s predisposition to developing a heart related illness, lifestyle choices and behaviors, with nutrition being the most important, can make a significant difference in how your body will fare. According to leading medical experts, ninety percent of the nearly 18 million heart disease cases worldwide could be prevented by people adopting healthier eating, exercise, and other lifestyle habits.

Nutrition for Heart Health, an Introduction

Before I dive into nutrition for heart health, I want to make clear that adopting heart healthy eating habits does not have to mean turning your life upside down, or giving up your favorite foods. By simply augmenting your choices to include 1) fewer foods that harm your heart, and 2) more foods that support your heart, you can begin to make a meaningful difference in not only the health of your heart, but also your overall long-term health. A balanced diet rich in nutrient-dense foods can help manage risk factors, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reduce inflammation, and maintain a healthy weight and body composition. Conversely, diets high in saturated and trans fats, sodium, refined sugars, and processed foods can increase the likelihood of developing heart disease. So it really just comes down to doing what you can to design meals that take these factors into consideration.

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Sleep Hygiene for Optimal Health & Fitness

Good sleep hygiene, done on a consistent basis, is your best, first course of action in supporting overall optimal health and vitality.
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If I told you that there is one important habit that if focused on, would automatically make all your other health and fitness disciplines work more easily, would you consider trying it? Of course there are no absolutes when it comes to nutrition and wellness science. But based on observation helping clients in nutrition and health coaching, sleep would be that one thing to focus on. There is a lot of old and emerging data on the impacts of sleep quality on our day to day lives. With that, a great place to start when considering what you can actually do within your control to improve sleep, is to begin the process of learning and mastering good sleep hygiene. So I thought I’d provide some information to help you assess your own sleep quality, sleep hygiene practices, and decide for yourself if and what you may want to do to embrace a better night’s sleep.

Good Sleep Hygiene Just Makes Sense

Sleep is a fundamental pillar of our overall well-being and plays a pivotal role in maintaining a healthy mind and body. Embracing the benefits of sleep and adopting healthy sleep hygiene practices can significantly enhance your quality of life. Beyond providing rest and rejuvenation, a good night’s sleep fosters improved cognitive function, memory consolidation, and emotional stability. It also bolsters our immune system, aids in weight management, and contributes to better cardiovascular health.

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Garlic Stuffed Roasted Artichoke

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I
love the artichoke roots that have taken hold in my food garden! Every year,
a glorious new artichoke plant pops out and produces delicious artichokes
right on schedule. They have become one of the highlights of spring in at our
house. Artichoke roots go dormant in late summer early fall, but then wake up
in early winter to start producing the plant, and spring is usually harvest
time for artichokes. Many people scratch their heads at artichokes, either
because they only know how to boil them, or maybe they just don’t
think its worth the work required to finally get to the delicious heart
of the artichoke. To me it is all worth the work, but just in case, here is a
super easy way to prepare fresh artichokes, that incorporates roasted garlic.
I recommend trying this accompanied by something you can spread the
edible meat of the artichoke, along with the roasted garlic onto, like a
baguette or a toasted flatbread. Don’t let spring pass without trying this
once! It is a nice alternative to the traditional boiling method. I like to
leave two or three artichokes on the plant each year because they eventually
blossom into a beautiful flower. And they look as beautiful as they taste!
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Huevos Con Nopalitos

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Whatever
you call it, that ubiquitous cactus that is probably hanging out in more back
yards than many of us realize, is packed with superfood nutrition. The leaf
or “pad” of the
nopale is believed to
support many aspects of health and well being such as weight loss, blood
purification, maintaining blood sugar balance, and more. My personal
philosophy is that nature designed the nopale to provide good, somewhat
complete nutrition in climates where growing and cultivating food, and
finding an abundant water source may be a challenge. In any case, I feel
extremely lucky to have two nopale trees in my food garden. They are going
crazy right now producing more nopales than we can keep up with. In the
spirit of water conservation, food sustainability, and good health, why not
explore how many accessible nopales are growing in your world? Here is a
simple, very traditional egg recipe for enjoying fresh nopales from
your garden. Be sure to cut the nopale when the leaf is still young and the
thorns are still soft to the touch. Once the thorns have become wooody and
hard, the nopale leaf is too mature for culinary enjoyment. You can cut
nopales, clean, and cut into “nopalitos,” basically cleaned and cut
up nopales, and store them in an air tight bag or container for up to a week
or two. Read More

Bumper Crop Salad with Magenta Spreen & Pomegranate Vinaigrette

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Did
you get an awesome bumper crop of tomatoes this year? Did you go crazy at the
Farmers Market and buy too many different, fabulous seasonal foods? Don’t
worry! This recipe is like the best “kitchen sink” concoction you
will ever sink your teeth into. Who knew that plums, tomatoes and cucumbers
would love hanging out in a salad together?


bumper crop salad with magenta spreen & pomegranate vinaigrette

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Appetizer, Lunch
Cuisine California
Servings 4 servings
Calories 302 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 cups fresh garden tomatoes cut into manageable pieces
  • 1 large garden cucumber cut into manageable pieces- I used a Japanese variety
  • 2 fruit fresh plums cut into manageable pieses- NOTE- you can also substitute and-or add cut up melon to this mixture
  • 1/4 cup julienned fresh basil
  • 4 sprigs magenta spreen (or substitute fresh basil sprigs, micro greens, sprouts or baby spinach- whatever you have on hand)
  • 1/4 cup pomegranate white balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 dash sea salt to taste
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 dash sea salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Place the tomatoes, cucumbers & plums in a mixing bowl and set aside in the refrigerator.
  • To make the dressing, whisk together all the dressing ingredients until it becomes emulsified.
  • When the dressing is ready, pour it over the tomato mixture, and gently mix it into the salad. Be careful not to smash or pulverize the tomatoes, especially if they are extremely ripe.
  • Place in the refrigerator and let the flavors from the dressing marinate the salad for about 30 minutes.
  • Remove from the refrigerator, toss in the basil, and taste for salt and pepper. Separate into four serving bowls or salad plates, and distribute the magenta spreen leaves, sprinkling them over the top of each salad.

Notes

This salad is an extremely simple way to use your abundance of stone fruit, melon, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Plums in particular go great with this salad. You can also experiment with honeydew melon, cantaloupe, and fresh peaches. My favorite way to eat this is with a pasta spoon so that I can get some of the delicious pomegranate infused dressing with each bite. Yum! This salad will keep in the refrigerator for a few days, and also makes a great topping for grilled chicken, seared tofu, or grilled salmon.
 
Nutrition Facts
bumper crop salad with magenta spreen & pomegranate vinaigrette
Amount per Serving
Calories
302
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
28
g
43
%
Saturated Fat
 
4
g
25
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
20
g
Sodium
 
491
mg
21
%
Potassium
 
437
mg
12
%
Carbohydrates
 
15
g
5
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
11
g
12
%
Protein
 
2
g
4
%
Vitamin A
 
1750
IU
35
%
Vitamin C
 
28.9
mg
35
%
Calcium
 
50
mg
5
%
Iron
 
1.1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition

Calories: 302kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 2gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gSodium: 491mgPotassium: 437mgFiber: 3gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 1750IUVitamin C: 28.9mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 1.1mg
Keyword heirloom tomato, magenta spreen, raw, vegan
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

What is Intermittent Fasting & Is It Worth the Hype?

a photo description showing the different types of fasting.
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Full
disclosure: I get so many inquiries from clients and people in general
asking, “what is intermittent fasting, and what’s your opinion on
it,” that I have been wanting to write this article for a long, long
time! But here is the thing: I typically try to actually do a diet at least a
couple times before writing about it. That way I’m able to also share my
personal experience with the protocol. But with my busy client schedule and
athletic training routine, I couldn’t find a compelling enough reason to
impose intermittent fasting and time restricted eating into my day to day
life. So, I’m sharing this article purely from research and observation in my
field of nutrition coaching work. So let’s dive in!

What is intermittent fasting? It’s a popular eating pattern that
has gained a lot of attention in recent years for its purported health
benefits. It involves alternating periods of fasting and eating, with the
goal of improving overall health and weight management. In this article,
we’ll take an in-depth look at intermittent fasting, its benefit claims, it’s
potential drawbacks, and whether I think you really need to do
it.

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating
pattern that involves cycling between periods of fasting and eating. There
are several different approaches to intermittent fasting, but the most common
include:

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Tips for Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain

Here are some tips for avoiding holiday weight gain.
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Indulging and gaining weight
over the holiday season is kind of like going into debt. It’s wonderful to
experience the immediate gratification that many high-fat, high-sugar,
carb-dense holiday foods  have to offer, but the pleasure doesn’t last
very long. And then it can take months for some people to recover physically
from the weight gain and other negative effects of unhealthy eating and
drinking. Wouldn’t it be nice to just avoid the holiday weight gain in the
first place, without sacrificing your fun?

According to this recent
study in the New England Journal of Medicine, chronic holiday
weight gain, and slow recovery time, are a reality for most Americans and
people all around the world. But you don’t have to be a part of the
statistics. Even though it is so close to Christmas, and you may feel like
any hope for managing your weight is lost, there is a lot you can do between
now and January 1st to give your body a healthy, helping
hand.

Tips for Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain
  • Burn Calories Daily.  All you
    need is about 30 minutes of brisk activity to keep that metabolism pumping.
    If you already have a daily workout, great! Keep it on the calendar. If not,
    just try to get anything in that will burn some calories. Or do things in
    addition to your daily Read More

A Real Weight Loss & Health Transformation Story

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Messages that convey weight loss
& health transformation are ubiquitous! Everywhere you look,
marketing messages on billboards, television and radio commercials,
magazines, friends with “breakthrough products,” and social media
are trying to sell us on their “solution” or “formula”
for the perfect, healthy body.

I want to share my weight loss & health transformation
story with you, with all the twists and turns and stuff that I learned along
the way! You can scroll down to skip right to the story and pictures, or read
the entire article…

In my 5 years of coaching hundreds of clients in nutrition, most
of which have focused on some degree of weight loss or body recomposition, I
have learned one solid scientific truth to be certain: Mastering healthy
habits and achieving sustainable weight loss & health is not
something you can accomplish in a hurry.

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Proactive Tips for Immune System Health

proactive-tips-for-immune-system-health
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Along with the COVID-19 pandemic
comes a tsunami of confusing and conflicting opinions and information about
immune system health and how to best protect and care for ourselves. I am not
an infectious disease expert. So telling you my opinion about whether I think
wearing a mask or not, how I feel about social distancing and self isolation,
or any other point of view related to disease control, would be not only
inappropriate and out of my scope of practice– but would also just add more
confusing opinions to the mix. This doesn’t really help
anyone.

So instead, I’ve prepared this article to help you better
understand what the data suggests (so far) as it pertains to what you
actually have control over in the face of this pandemic–  part of that
is your body’s own ability to thrive and defend
itself! Read More

Nutrition Coach- Do You Need One? Here Are Some Clues

nutrition-coach
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Nutrition coach, holistic health
coach, lifestyle coach, nutritionist…the world of wellness and nutrition
information, and the variety of professional designations, can be daunting.
So how do you know if you need a nutrition coach? Here are five clues that
you may want to look at. But first, let me share a little about my health
coaching & nutrition coaching approach.

Today’s food supply looks much different than it did 100 years
ago. Modern farming, demand for convenience, economics, and other influential
factors have us eating a lot more calorically dense, yet nutritionally
insufficient, and many times toxic foods and beverages. Our conventional
health care providers are not always set up, in the best way, to provide
in-depth education and guidance to people on the importance of establishing a
healthy lifestyle. This leaves many at a loss for a practical,
nutrition-based solution to their basic health and wellness goals and
objectives. Many of these can be supported by a more consistent,
healthy-eating lifestyle. But many people need the extra education,
knowledge, creativity, and personal guidance to make that happen. Simply
turning to a diet or a fad doesn’t really get to the core of what makes the
body function and thrive. That is where nutrition coaching comes
in.

So how do you know
if you need a nutrition coach?

1. You Feel Run Down & Want More
Energy

Proper nutrition is the key to maintaining healthy metabolism and
consistent energy levels. When we feel hungry, it is our cells telling our
stomach that they need nutrition. The key is to fuel your
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