Think heart health is something you worry about later in life? Just because you don’t have a family history of cardiovascular disease or haven’t aged “over the hill” yet doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put down the salt shaker. The same eating habits that can keep your heart strong also help fuel your active lifestyle. When you feed your heart, you feed your entire being. Find out what it looks like to eat for your heart, and you’ll be surprised how simple, satisfying and even sweet it is to take care of your ticker.
After losing her dad to a heart attack in 2009 (he was 53 years young), Emma Andrews became motivated to pursue a life focused on “pro-longevity” as she calls it. Emma went as far as to become a registered holistic nutritionist who is also certified in plant-based cooking. On top of that, Emma is an endurance runner and stays active year-round. Not only does she love exploring new running paths, but she loves playing with new and innovative ingredients, recipes and food trends. Here, she shares a day’s worth of meals that are all designed to feed her cardiovascular health.
Wake-up call – 7 a.m.
Emma starts her day on the right side of bed…with a warm glass of lemon water. One of the many great benefits of drinking warm lemon water is vitamin C. Vitamin C has antioxidant powers, which help support many areas of your health!
Breakfast time – 9 a.m.
Breakfast consists of a nutrient-dense smoothie with a handful of leafy greens and fresh fruit. The folate-rich veggies are in addition to the six servings of greens already provided by the Vega One powder Emma uses as her smoothie base. Folate, naturally found in spinach, kale, collard greens and the like, is a B vitamin that supports homocysteine levels. Maintaining homocysteine levels is important for heart health.*
Lunch break – 12 p.m.
Tapas at midday is not only a fun way to enjoy your food but can also help you control your portions. Emma piled her plate with gluten-free crackers, wedges of leftover veggie burger, dolmades, chopped raw vegetables, hummus and sesame seeds. Carbohydrate sources rich in fiber are a waist-friendly choice, as they fill you up without filling you out. Maintaining a healthy weight is important not just for bikini season but for your heart, as well.
Snack attack – 3 p.m.
All too often you probably reach for caffeine or sugar to lift you from the mid-afternoon slump. However, the dramatic swing in blood sugar creates dietary stress and spikes cortisol levels. Raised cortisol levels can raise blood pressure. You can get sustainable energy from mono-unsaturated fats found in Emma’s plate of avocados, plus chunks of tomato and zucchini are drizzled in omega-rich oil.
Dinner is served – 7 p.m.
To culminate the day, Emma has compiled a plate of all the nutrients she noshed on throughout the day: fiber and plant-based protein from chickpeas and barley, folate-rich leafy greens and healthy fats from pumpkin seeds. This dinner is an easy meal to prep on Sunday afternoon and eat on all week. You can make this same kind of healthy mix with a variety of legumes, whole grains and vegetables. Get crafty with your combinations!
Dessert, please! – 9 p.m.
At the end of the day, Emma treated herself to a piece of a maca chocolate bar…you know, for the antioxidants.