February is National Heart Month!

By Melissa Copp, R.D., L.D.

Heart Health

Spend this month showing your heart some love! Here are tips to be heart healthy in February!

Eat less saturated fat by consuming less fatty meats, high-fat dairy products, and limit the number of times you eat out! Try only to eat out 1-2x per week. Replace saturated fat with foods that have healthier unsaturated fats — like seafood, nuts, seeds, avocados, and oils.

Try these healthy swaps:

  • Vegetable oil (canola, avocado, olive, peanut, safflower, soybean, or sunflower) instead of butter for cooking
  • Low-fat or light mayonnaise and dressings instead of full-fat or creamy versions

Choose a variety of lean protein, such as:

  • Seafood — fish and shellfish
  • Poultry — chicken or turkey breast without skin or lean ground chicken or turkey (at least 93% lean)
  • Lean meats — like pork shoulder, beef sirloin, or lean ground beef (at least 93% lean)
  • Beans, peas, and lentils — like black beans and garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
  • Eggs
  • Unsalted nuts, seeds, and nut butters — like almond or peanut butter
  • Tofu

Decrease sodium (salt) intake by reading the Nutrition Facts label and choosing foods that are lower in sodium. Look for foods labeled “low sodium” or “no salt added” — like some canned soups, canned vegetables, packaged meals, and snack foods. Choose items with 140 mg or less of sodium per serving.

Get more fiber by adding MORE vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains to all snacks and meals! The more colorful your snack or meal, the better!

Boost Heart Health! Your heart is a muscle, and you can make it stronger by exercising! The exercise intensity recommended by the American Heart Association to prevent cardiovascular disease is moderate exercise of 30 minutes, 5 times a week. You can walk, run, bike, swim, jump rope, use an elliptical, etc. Whichever you choose, aim to work at an intensity that makes you slightly out of breath.

Warm Your Heart & Show Some Love — DID YOU KNOW? You can help Flint Hills Bread Basket (FHBB) feed more people in our community! If you shop at Dillons, just go to your online account and search “find an organization.” Type in “Flint Hills Breadbasket” to support efforts to fight hunger in your town! Each time you shop at Dillons and use your Dillon's Plus Card, FHBB will get points for every purchase. The more you shop at Dillon's, the more you can support the efforts of the FHBB.