Healthy Valentine's Tips

Healthy Valentine's Tips

Your sweetheart may have the key to your heart, but eating healthy and being physically active is the key to a healthier you. This February, celebrate love and life with your heart in mind.

Incorporate Red

Red is the colour of Valentine, so why not bring it to on to the dining table? Make a swoon-worthy salad by simply adding the bright red beet to your favourite mix of greens and veggies. Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, make cute red beet hearts. Beetroot contains power-packed dose of antioxidants, and is packed with vitamins, cancer-fighting antioxidants and cholesterol-busting fiber and protein.

Watch Your Carbs

The month of February is not just about flowers, chocolate and all things cakes, cookies and chips. Processed or rapidly digested carbs found in white flour, white rice, sugar and packaged foods increase the risk of heart disease.According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, reducing your daily carbohydrates intake to less than 35 percent results in a reduced calorie intake, which leads to more weight and fat loss than other reduced-calorie diets.

Eat Breakfast

Start off the day with a healthy breakfast and a bright smile. Our body is depleted of energy during the overnight fast and breakfast helps top up the energy reserves.A nutritious, delicious breakfast doesn't have to be difficult. Simple oatmeal or any cereal of your choice with fruits and nuts is equallyfilling, easy to make, and give you the right fuel you need to kick start your day.

Go For a Walk

The key to heart health is in staying active; take long, romantic walks with your beloved and try to make it a regular habit. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity each week to stay healthy. You can reach this goal by walking briskly for at least 30 minutes, five days a week.

Practice Meal Modification

Be mindful when you are planning to head out for Valentine’s dinner with your loved ones. Feel free to make special requests, find out if your meal can be made with little or no butter/oil, substitute steamed veggies for French Fries. Split the appetizing entrée with your significant other to control portion size.In terms of calories, grilled is usually better than fried and baked is better than braised.

Get Cozy with Cocoa

Snuggle up with your sweetie and a cup of cocoa, stir a generous pinch of ground cinnamon and cayenne pepper into a mug of homemade hot chocolate. Garnish with a cinnamon stick. Cinnamon not only kicks the flavor up a notch, it raises the health factor to many folds. The spice has been linked to lower total and LDL cholesterol levels, and higher HDL cholesterol levels.

Beware of Sodium

More than 40% of sodium comes from the common foods like: bread and rolls, pizza, poultry, soups, sandwiches, cheese, pasta dishes, meat dishes, and snacks.Choose lower-sodium options when possible. Spice up your meals with seasonings and avoid pre-packaged mixes that contain a lot of salt, or look for low-sodium or salt-freevarieties.

Indulge a Little

Pair almonds with a dusting of cocoa and you have the perfect alternate for a small box of chocolate. A recent study found that people who eat tree nuts like almonds are less likely to be obese. Roast them at home with just a little oil and sprinkle with a mixture of unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar, and salt. Roast at 300 degrees Fahrenheit on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. When ready, package them in a heart-shaped pretty box, decorate it with a pretty red bow, and add a thoughtful message on top.

Take Charge of Stress

Stress may affect your heart health. Taking a little time out for yourself will do wonders for your heart and your overall well-being. Schedule some social time with a friend, go for a heart-pumping walk, or some other exercise. Carve out 30 minutes to sit down with a good book or just take a moment to enjoy a cup of coffee and relax and recharge.