Pretoria - Feb 2021

GOOD for your HEART
When you care for your heart, your entire body benefits. We’ve got a
few healthful food tips to keep your ticker in tip-top condition.
Compiled by RIALIEN FURSTENBERG
With so
much talk about
our hearts (broken
or not), there is no
time like Valentine’s
Month to show your
heart some love. After
all, this muscular organ
works hard, without breaks, to
keep you alive. So, you need to
do your part.
Herbalife Nutrition’s Florencia Braga
shares five easy pointers to strengthen
your heart.
CHEW THE FAT
For long-term heart health, some fats
are better than others. There are two
types of fat: saturated and unsaturated.
Saturated: This ‘bad’ fat is found in
red meat, full-cream dairy products,
cheese and many commercially
prepared baked goods. Major sources
of saturated fat are fast, snack and
processed foods such as pizza,
dairy desserts, bacon, hamburgers,
and cookies.
Unsaturated: This is a healthy
fat, and there are two kinds
– monounsaturated and
polyunsaturated, also known as
Omega-9, -6 and -3. Omega-9 fats are
mostly present in olive oil, almonds
and avocados, while you can get
Omega-6 fats from sunflower oil and
seeds, corn and soy oil, pine nuts,
pecan nuts
and Brazil nuts.
Fish-sourced Omega-3
fats are also useful for
our heart health. They can be found
in fatty fish like herring, salmon and
sardines, and can contribute to the
maintenance of normal blood pressure,
blood triglycerides concentration and
heart functions.
(DON’T) SPILL THE SALT
Excessive sodium intake is linked to
high blood pressure, which can put
strain on your heart. Healthcare experts
advise that you limit your sodium
intake up to 2g per day (or up to 5g =
5ml of salt per day). Tip: Keep a 2.5ml
measuring spoon in your salt container
to know how much you are adding,
rather than grabbing the salt shaker.
BE
MODERATELY
MERRY
You can still enjoy a
drink with a kick, but
don’t go overboard
– no more than one
drink a day for women
and two a day for men. One
drink is a small glass of wine
(120ml), a can of beer (340ml) or a tot
of any spirit (25ml).
GET ACTIVE
Getting your heart rate up through
exercise not only reduces the risk
of cardiovascular disease, but it also
improves your bones and muscle
tone. Aim for at least 150 minutes
of moderate-intensity physical
activity or 75 minutes of vigorousintensity
physical activity throughout
the week.
PORTION WITH CAUTION
Try to portion your plate according
to the ‘plate model’ where half of
your plate consists of non-starchy
vegetables (broccoli, cabbage,
tomatoes, cucumber and carrots), a
quarter of your plate consists of high
fibre starches (brown rice, wholewheat
pasta, sweet potato, butternut)
and a quarter of your plate consists of
lean protein (grilled skinless chicken,
fish, lean mince, ostrich meat, soya.)
20 Get It Magazine February 21