Are you ever truly aware of your heartbeat, of the steady thrum sending meditative vibrations to every organ, appendage and blood vessel? Hardly anyone is a vision of perfection, but the heart works 24/7 to keep the physical body in near perfect shape (as perfect as it can be). Take time to appreciate the great lengths your heart goes to for you. Move mindfully, tenderly, and treat your heart as lovingly as possible.
Your meditative mindfulness will reduce stress and increase the benefits of aerobic exercise, but your diet could really pave the way toward a stronger heart. By eating the right foods in the right amounts, you’ll be supplying the heart with nutrients and antioxidants, which will allow the heart to continue its steady rhythm — a beautiful symbiotic relationship.
1. Salmon: The large amount of omega-3 fatty acids in salmon could help prevent blood clots and reduce blood pressure. By eating more fatty fish rich in omega-3s (such as salmon, mackerel and tuna), and less fatty meats (such as hamburgers and ribs), you could prevent a heart attack and extend your life. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least twice a week; are you fishing for longevity yet?
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>> Make clean eating fun again by deconstructing your sushi roll.
2. Spinach: Popeye didn’t lie. Spinach is stocked with lutein, folate, potassium, magnesium, fiber and iron, all of which act positively on the heart. Folate helps lower dangerous homocysteine (an amino acid) levels that could potentially pave the way for cardiovascular diseases. The dark, leafy green has tons of antioxidants and beta-carotene which reduce the risk of coronary diseases by preventing cholesterol buildup in the blood vessels. We don’t call it a superfood for no reason!
>> Learn more about antioxidants here!
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3. Blueberries: We love you berry, berry much. The excessive amount of flavonoids (specifically anthocyanins, which give the berry its royal blue color) and phytonutrients within our berry friend safeguard cardiovascular health. Researchers have long been interested in the amazing impact berries have on our health, especially blueberries and their ability to lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL). One research abstract states “clinical studies in healthy humans, subjects with diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, or in smokers, show a significant decrease in CVD risk factors, especially glucose, lipids and lipid peroxidation, and systolic blood pressure, following berry intervention.” Hopefully the only reason you would need a “berry intervention” would be because of your infatuation with eating them.
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