National Nutrition Month and How to Eat Smart for Your Heart

National Nutrition Month is an annual campaign held every March by the National Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. It’s during this month that the academy invites everyone to learn about the importance of nutrition and physical activity. This year’s campaign is “Celebrate a World of Flavors,” showcasing how exploring food and recipes from around the world can give us new, tasty ways of nourishing our bodies while also garnering a greater appreciation for diversity.

At Mobile Heart Specialists, we see how unhealthy eating and nutrition habits can negatively affect the heart every single day. This is why we want to encourage you to take control of your heart health by improving your nutrition in honor of National Nutrition Month.

Tips from the National Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

For National Nutrition Month, the academy released a list of things you can do to improve your eating habits. They separated the to-dos out by week, but we have broken them out by steps so that depending on your nutrition journey, you can start at whatever step you need the most work on. Below are their steps to better nutrition: 

• Step 1: Eat a Variety of Nutritious Foods & Learn to Read Nutrition Facts Labels
• Step 2: See a Registered Dietician Nutritionist
• Step 3: Learn to Plan Your Meals and Snacks
• Step 4: Create Tasty Foods at Home

For more tips and resources to help you navigate this step-by-step journey visit https://www.eatright.org/food/resources/national-nutrition-month. 

Eat Smart for Your Heart

When it comes to eating smart for your heart, it’s all about balance and basics. Nutrition is not one size fits all – meaning that what works for you might not work for someone else. The American Heart Association recommends heart-focused eaters have a diet that’s full of variety – lean protein, health fats, veggies, whole grains, fruits, etc. And – good news – small, simple changes can mean a world of difference for your heart health. 

No matter what stage you are in your nutrition journey, it’s never a bad idea to go back to the basics, whether that be learning to balance caloric intake with exercise, reaching for an apple over a bag of chips, or buying minimally-processed foods at the grocery store. Then, using these nutrition basics, you can find a balance that works for you and your heart.

Heart Healthy Foods (Plus 3 Bonus Recipes from AHA)

So, you’ve read the steps, checked out the basics and now you’re at the grocery store. But, where do you start incorporating everything you learned so you can leave the store with bags filled with heart-healthy foods? We’re here to help! Below are some of our favorite heart healthy foods as well as three recipes we love from the American Heart Association. 

Heart Healthy Foods

1. Veggies: tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, spinach, kale
2. Fresh Fruit: apples, oranges, bananas
3. Protein: seafood, 93% lean chicken or turkey, eggs, tofu
4. Carbs: brown rice, quinoa, whole grain bread, oats, couscous

Recipes from the American Heart Association

1. Crispy (Un)Fried Chicken
2. Huevos Rancheros
3. Snickerdoodles

Find more recipes and nutrition tips from the American Heart Association here.