How are you loving your heart? Yes, you read that correctly. To
o often we think of the heart as the “center” of love and forget to show our hearts love.
February is American Heart Month. I had a great time celebrating the month by sharing practical information to help you love your heart better.
In this blog post for American Heart Month, I’ll round up 3 important ways to show your heart love all year long.
1. You Can Improve Your “Good” Cholesterol (HDL Cholesterol)
You hear a lot about cholesterol and heart health. Improving your cholesterol numbers can improve your heart health. Specifically, high levels of HDL, known as “good cholesterol” and lower levels of LDL, “bad cholesterol,” are helpful to improve your heart health. The recommended levels of HDL to get heart health benefits is:
For men > 40 mg/dL
For women>50 mg/dL
It can be confusing to remember the target levels of HDL vs LDL. A simple
way to remember HDL vs LDL is: Aim for a high HDL level. Aim for a low LDL level.
Having a low HDL doesn’t automatically mean you’ll get heart disease. You can make changes to improve your HDL. There are some uncontrollable factors that impact your HDL such as genetics. The good news is there are controllable ways that you can increase your HDL. Increasing your HDL takes a total lifestyle change. If needed medications your health care provider can also prescribe medications to help improve your HDL.
Check out “The Best Ways to Increase Your HDL Cholesterol” and "Nutrition vs Working Out: Which Is Better For My Health" articles I wrote for GoodRx that can help you improve your heart health.
2. You Can Create Delicious, Satisfying Heart Healthy Food
Food is an important way to fight heart disease. As doctors we often tell you what you should and shouldn't eat without giving you practical advice. This isn’t helpful. I've learned this personally on my own weight loss and lifelong wellness journey. This year when I was asked to speak at the “Eating to Live Not Living to Eat” Go Red For Women Event hosted by the Delta Sigma Theta Erie Alumnae Chapter. I chose to go beyond focusing on statistics and facts. I shared my own journey from regularly eating fried foods & sweets to enjoying delicious, heart healthy foods. I use a lot of tips found in my “ 6 Solutions to Fix Your Meal Plan Course.” It was a hit! The women got so much out of the useful tips I shared on “Taste Solutions for Heart Health.” We discussed how you can use:
Spices & Herbs
Superfood Substitutions
Satisfying combinations
To create heart healthy meals you crave!
You can watch the entire video here. The powerful session starts with invaluable heart health information from Dr. Andrea Jeffress, a board certified ob/gyn and Dr. Sanul Corrielus a board certified cardiologist. They both engagingly discussed an evidence based holistic approach to heart health.
3. You Can Lift the Weight Off Your Heart
Carrying extra body fat weighs on your heart. The medical condition of having excess body fat (aka adipose tissue) is called obesity. Obesity is associated with increased heart disease risk. Obesity is also linked to several medical conditions that are associated with higher risk of heart disease such as
sleep apnea,
high blood pressure (hypertension),
insulin resistance,
type 2 diabetes,
metabolic syndrome
and chronic kidney disease.
See the helpful infographic on “Obesity and Heart Disease Risk” I created for the Obesity Medicine Association.
It is not easy to lose extra body fat because the body tries very hard to hold onto fat. However it is possible to lose extra weight & keep it off with a plan that is tailored to your body’s unique needs.
In Healthline.com’s "Best Overall Weight Loss Book of 2022", Embrace You: Your Guide to Transforming Weight Loss Misconceptions Into Lifelong Wellness, I walk you through how to :
Release limiting mindsets on your weight loss journey,
Embrace self-love, and
Create Your personalized wellness strategy based on the most up-to-date science in body fat metabolism.
You will have a solid foundation for sustainable weight loss at the end of reading Embrace You: Your Guide to Transforming Weight Loss Misconceptions Into Lifelong Wellness
Your heart does so much for you. Help your heart out by making changes that show your heart extra love. Embrace You Weight and Wellness offers several resources to help your heart health by creating weight loss that lasts and wellness you love.
Check out “6 Solutions to Fix Your Meal Plans” quick course if you are looking for delicious satisfying heart healthy meals and solutions to create consistent meal plans.
Cheers to you loving on your happy, healthy heart! -Dr. Sylvia, Head Embracer of Embrace You Weight & Wellness.
Helpful Heart Health Resources
Healing the Spartan: A Breakthrough Plan to Heart Health & Longevity by Dr. Sanul Corrielus, MD, MBA, FACC
Have more recommendations for this list? Please send an email to contactus@embraceyouweightloss.com.
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