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◂ HEART HEALTH
Also good for your sweetheart is an annual doctor visit. To find a primary care provider,
go to
www.MethodistHealthSystem.org/FindAPhysician
or call 214-947-0000.
Surprising ways to
safeguard your heart
They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, right? So
this Valentine’s Day, why not spice up your love life by rekindling
the spark in your kitchen? With these heart-healthy ingredient
substitutions, you’ll help keep your guy’s appetite satisfied and
his heart going strong. Now what’s not to love about that?
Using brown rice insteadof white
is an easyway to boost your daily
fiber intake andget some extra
potassiumandmagnesium in
your diet.
Shake off the urge to add salt
to your food. Consider healthy
substitutions such as balsamic
vinegar, herbs, or spices.
When baking, try substituting
½cup of applesauce for 1 cup of oil,
margarine, or butter. This healthy
trade-off lowers fat inmuffins and
quickbreads, like banana bread.
Preparing pancakes? Switch out
the maple syrup and serve up
some strawberries for a vitamin-
packed start to the day.
Replace each egg in your recipe
with¼ cup of cholesterol-free
egg substitute. You’ll reduce fat
and cholesterol and still get a
tasty result.
Hey, good lookin’!
Whatcha got cookin’?
Sources: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; American Heart Association; American Institute for Cancer
Research; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Texas law prohibits hospitals from practicing medicine. The physicians on the Methodist Health System
medical staff are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Methodist Health System.
Staying
heart-healthy can be a lot more fun
than you think. Here are five unexpected ways to
help you take care of your ticker:
1
.
Keep your chin up.
A positive attitude may help
boost cardiovascular health. Focus on the good
things in your life by keeping a gratitude journal.
And when things don’t go your way, look for the
silver lining.
2
.
If you have chocolate, go dark.
Studies have
shown that chocolate — the darker the better —
may help lower blood pressure. Imran Afridi, MD,
an independently practicing cardiologist on
the medical staff at Methodist Dallas Medical
Center, offers some words of caution, however:
“Because chocolate is high in calories, it’s best
to limit yourself to small portions — about
10 grams or so a day.”
3
.
Have a laugh.
Funnily enough, laughter really
is good medicine. It gets more oxygen
into your blood and stimulates circulation.
4
.
Get your ZZZs.
Poor-
quality sleep may raise
your blood pressure
and increase your risk
of heart disease.
5
.
Hit the dance floor.
“Dance is fun
and gives you a fairly good workout
that includes cardiovascular conditioning
and muscle toning,”
Dr. Afridi says. “It’s
been clearly shown
to help lower blood
pressure, which is
important in people at
risk for heart disease.”
Find more ways to
keep your heart healthy
in our health library at
www.MethodistHealth
System.org/Heart
.
info
Methodist Health System
•
❁
Spring 2012
7