February is National Heart Month!

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for nearly 370,000 deaths per year. February is National Heart Month and now, more than ever, people are turning to their diet to improve their health. The American Heart Association together with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute of Health has identified 7 of the leading health factors that contribute to heart disease and stroke, known as, “Life’s Simple 7.”

• Smoking
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Poor diet
• Overweight/obesity
• Elevated cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Poor blood sugar control/Diabetes

A heart healthy diet, known as the Mediterranean diet, has been shown to decrease blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol levels and decrease the incidence of heart attack and stroke. It has also been shown to reduce the risk of cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes:

• Eating primarily plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts
• Replacing butter with healthy fats like olive and avocado oil
• Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods
• Limiting red meat to no more than a few times a month
• Eating fish and poultry at least twice a week
• Enjoying meals with family and friends
• Drinking red wine in moderation
• Getting plenty of exercise

At Food & Friends, our regular and therapeutic diets are modeled after the Mediterranean diet and provide our clients with the heart healthy nutrition they need to thrive. We provide our clients with a variety of plant foods, whole-grain breads, cereal and pasta, a variety of herbs and spices to flavor their food, heart healthy fats and lean proteins like fish and poultry. Small changes every day can have a big impact in the life and health of you and your loved ones!


Sources
1. Healthy Lifestyle: Nutrition and Healthy Eating. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/mediterranean-diet/art-20047801?pg=2
2. Heart Disease, Stroke and Research Statistics at a Glance. American Heart Association. Retrieved from: https://www.heart.org/idc/groups/ahamah-public/@wcm/@sop/@smd/documents/downloadable/ucm_480086.pdf

Keep Your Heart Healthy this Valentine's Day

February is National Heart Month, and Valentine’s Day is a great time to start taking steps to be heart healthy. Regardless of your age, keeping your heart healthy is important for good overall health.

In the United States, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and one in every three deaths is caused by heart attack or stroke. Instead of celebrating this Valentine’s Day with sweets and chocolates, you and your valentine can promote heart health by getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity, eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in trans-fat and sodium, and by knowing your ABCS:

• Ask your doctor if you should take an Aspirin every day 
• Find out if you have high Blood pressure or Cholesterol, if so get treated 
• If you Smoke, get help to quit 

To get you started, try this Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili for your romantic Valentine’s dinner, we guarantee you and your sweetie will love it!

Serves: 4 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium-large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chiles
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups water
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
4 teaspoons lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle and salt and cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Add water and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the sweet potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

2. Add beans, tomatoes and lime juice; increase heat to high and return to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

Information adopted from CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/features/heartmonth/

 

Janell Walker, RD, LDN, Nutrition Services Manager

Janell is a registered dietitian and has been with Food & Friends for 3 years. She is a graduate of University of Maryland, College Park and a native of the DC metropolitan area. Janell enjoys cooking, dancing and educating people about the importance of food and nutrition. Learn more about Food & Friends' nutrition services.

From Our Kitchen to Yours: Healthy Harvest Breakfast Muffins

An American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study found that people who skipped breakfast throughout childhood and as adults had higher cholesterol than lifelong breakfast eaters. Food & Friends recognizes that nutrition not only plays a large part in good health and disease prevention, but also in treatment of illness and in the management of side effects. We work hard to create a menu filled with healthy items that will meet the nutritional needs of those we serve. Start your day off right and treat your heart to our delicious Healthy Harvest Breakfast Muffins recipe, which is one of the breakfast items we deliver to our clients.

Ingredients for 16 Muffins:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup oat bran
2 t. baking soda
2 t. cinnamon
¼ t. salt
1 ¼ cups sugar
2 cups peeled and shredded carrot
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup raisins
¼ cup sweetened flaked coconut
2 t. vanilla extract
3 large eggs
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup pure vegetable oil, such as canola

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and lightly oil 16 half-cup muffin cups. 
• Into a large bowl sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt and whisk in sugar. Add shredded carrots, pecans, raisins, and coconut to flour mixture and toss well. 
• In a bowl whisk together eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, and oil. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, stirring until batter is well combined. 
• Divide batter among muffin cups, filling them ¾ full, and bake on middle rack of oven 15 – 18 minutes, or until toothpick tester comes out clean. Cool muffins in cups on racks for 5 minutes before turning out onto racks to cool completely. Enjoy with your favorite jam or fruit preserves!

Cheney Cardiovascular Institute makes a donation that could save a life.

Food & Friends wants to recognize and thank the Cheney Cardiovascular Institute at The George Washington University for its generous donation of two Automatic External Defibrillators (AED). This gift will help us protect our staff, volunteers and guests from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). SCA is the nation’s leading cause of death and is the result of an electrical disruption in the heart, causing a very rapid and very faint beat, preventing the circulation of blood and oxygen to the rest of the body. The AED was given to Food & Friends through the ReStart DC program, which also provided training on how to use and maintain the device. AEDs are easy to use and speed the response to SCA victims while awaiting emergency services. 

In March, Food & Friends staff members had the opportunity to attend First-Aid, CPR and AED trainings. Participating staff members are now aware of where the AED is located and have the basic skills that may save a life or prevent further injury. Food & Friends will be holding additional trainings for staff members unable to attend the first two dates. The presence of an AED here at Food & Friends is a reminder that a healthy heart is critical to our overall health, and we urge our entire community to make wise eating, exercise and lifestyle choices. Furthermore, we all play a role in responding to sudden cardiac arrest. If we see someone collapse, please get help, call 9-1-1, start CPR and get the AED.

Food & Friends staff showing off their CPR/First Aid certificates