My Heart-Healthy Checklist for 2012

February is American Heart Month! To kick things off, I’m sharing a season-by-season checklist that will help keep your ticker in tip-top shape.

WINTER

GET COOKING…

• Enjoy cozy, warm, heart-healthy comfort foods like hearty lentil soup and turkey-bean chili. These lean vegetarian proteins are terrific substitutes for fatty meats like marbled beef and pork.
• A few mornings each week, breakfast on oatmeal sprinkled with toasted, chopped nuts. Oats are rich in cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber and nuts provide a shot of heart-healthy unsaturated fats.
• In cold winter months, roasting is a great way to prepare low-fat, heart-healthy proteins: skinless chicken and Cornish game hens, pork tenderloin, even whole fish.

GET MOVING…

• If freezing, snowy weather has you stuck inside, pick up a few good exercise DVDs to do right in your living room. For more variety (or to save a few bucks), check to see if your library has a fitness DVD collection available for borrowing.
• If you live in the southern part of the country, take advantage of the cooler winter months to get outdoors and walk or jog in comfortable temperatures.
• While watching your favorite primetime shows, get up off the couch and do activities like marching in place, crunches and jumping jacks during commercial breaks. Regular exercise is key to a strong, healthy heart…so squeeze it in whenever you can!

SPRING

GET COOKING… The earth is thawing and fresh,vibrant produce is starting to make its way to supermarket shelves. Stock up on the growing season’s “early bloomers” to nourish your heart. Enjoy roasted asparagus, or steam whole artichokes (artichoke hearts are LOADED with fiber). Use tender leafy greens in salad or sauté them with garlic in olive oil for a quick side dish. Go out of your way to try seasonal treats like fresh fava beans and English peas; both have a high amount of soluble fiber, which helps flush plaque out of arteries. Also take advantage of baby “new potatoes”–like the big guys, they’re rich in blood pressure-lowering potassium. GET MOVING… After being cooped up all winter, now’s your chance to get outdoors and breathe in some fresh air. Go for hikes, bike rides, and daily walks. Find a community handball or tennis court, and a few partners to play with! It’s the perfect time to start gardening. Plant a full-fledged plot with a bounty of vegetables, or get your feet wet by growing a small herb garden. Use the fresh herbs you harvest to add plenty of flavor to recipes while cutting back on salt. Farmer’s markets are starting up for the season, so start hitting them up on weekends, and continue visiting throughout the summer and fall. Look into joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). You’ll get a basket of farm-fresh produce every week during the spring and summer months. Nothing gives you more incentive to “eat your veggies” than receiving a weekly box of gorgeous, local vegetables…especially since you put the money up in advance!

SUMMER

GET COOKING…

• Eat plenty of juicy, hydrating, antioxidant-rich produce—especially fiber-rich berries and potassium-rich melon.
• Satisfy a sweet tooth with refreshing frozen grapes and bananas.
• Learn a "Heart-Smart Smoothie" recipe for a frothy, cool, guilt-free treat. Try my popular Berry-Banana Blend.
• Ditch sugary beverages and guzzle naturally-flavored seltzer (or sparkling water) and unsweetened iced tea or coffee. Also try my simple recipe for all-natural, unsweetened lemonade. Just squeeze the juice of one lemon into a glass of refreshing ice water and stir.
• Stock your kitchen with inexpensive summer “bumper crops” like zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, and tomatoes. They’re terrific steamed, grilled, or raw in fresh, crisp salads.

GET MOVING…

• Take advantage of the gorgeous weather and motivating sunshine by moving your workout outdoors whenever possible. Walking is always a terrific option, but you can also vary things up by going swimming and canoeing, golfing with friends, or joining a summer softball league.
• If you’re planning a vacation, seek out an active or adventure-style trip and spend some of your time off hiking, biking, swimming, surfing, or participating in water sports (and of course there’s always beach walking!).
• Too much stress taxes your heart, so take advantage of a more relaxed work schedule this time of year to fit in more R&R. Read a few easy “beach books,” take in a few gorgeous sunsets, and plan fun get-togethers with friends and family.

FALL

GET COOKING…

• Get your fill of the heart-healthy harvest! Add fresh pumpkin to hearty soups and stews, and nibble on pumpkin seeds, which contain “good fats.” Go out of your way to eat plenty of apples, pears, and sweet potatoes—all three deliver a nice amount of soluble fiber, which helps to lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels.
• Sip green tea on cool autumn evenings. This potent brew is rich in beneficial compounds that help keep your blood vessels flexible and healthy and promote good blood flow.
• Snack on a handful of warm, toasted nuts, including seasonal favorites like pecans and walnuts. Their winning combo of heart-healthy fat and fiber spells good news for arteries.

GET MOVING…

• Make the most of the last few months of decent weather if you live in the north. Plan outdoor fall activities with family and friends: go apple and pumpkin picking or “take a walk” inside a giant corn maze.
• Keep your lawn and your figure looking sharp by raking your leaves on weekends. You’ll get your blood pumping and burn up to 300 calories in one hour of leaf wrangling!
• Train for a fall 5K to help you stay committed to your workouts.