February is well known for Valentine’s Day – a celebration of love, cupid and hearts. While some people may dislike the Valentine “hype”, it’s always a good idea to consider your heart health.

Heart disease is the number one killer among Canadians, including Windsor-Essex residents, (Statistics Canada, 2001). The good news is this disease is highly preventable. By eating well, being physically active everyday, maintaining a healthy body weight, decreasing stress, and quitting smoking, you can significantly reduce your risk for heart disease. 

Heart health was definitely a focus in the recent release of Health Canada’s new “Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide”, typically referred to as Canada’s Food Guide. It includes guidelines to help prevent obesity, type 2 diabetes and high blood cholesterol levels, all risk factors for heart disease. Here are some heart healthy messages found in the new Canada’s Food Guide:

• Eat at least one dark green vegetable and one orange vegetable each day. Vegetables and fruits are naturally heart healthy as they provide many vitamins, minerals and fibre, and are naturally low in calories and fat.
•   Make at least half of your grain products whole grain each day. Whole grains provide sources of fibre and are generally low in fat. Fibre has been shown to decrease blood cholesterol levels, help you feel fuller longer and assist with reaching and keeping a healthy weight.
• Choose skim, 1% or 2% milk each day or low fat milk alternatives. Lower fat products provide the same amounts of calcium and other important nutrients as higher fat versions, but without the extra calories and saturated fat.
• Have meat alternatives such as beans, lentils and tofu often. This is an easy and affordable heart healthy way to help minimize saturated fat and increase fibre intake. 
• Eat at least two Food Guide servings (150 grams or 5 ounces total) of fish each week.  All fish contains some amount of Omega 3 fats, which contributes to heart health.
•  Include a small amount of unsaturated fat each day.  Use 30-45 ml (2-3 tablespoons) of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (e.g., canola, olive soybean liquid oils) each day for cooking, or in non-hydrogenated margarines and low fat salad dressings.   
• Be Active.  Build 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity in to your day. Activity helps prevent and manage high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and reach and keep a healthy weight.

Written by Heather Stiles, RD as published in the Windsor Star, February 2008.