6 Heart-healthy Foods for Summer (That Help you Feel Great!)
It’s summertime, and everyone wants to look and feel their best! At Vasolabs, we’re more concerned with people’s health than their appearance – especially their heart health. So adding heart-healthy foods to your diet this season is the best way to feel great!
The Importance of a Well-Rounded Diet
With new diet fads appearing each day, it can be challenging to understand what a well-balanced diet looks like. It’s important to select foods from each major food group each day. That way you get the proper nutrients to fuel your body for daily activities.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the type of nutrients we all need:
- Macronutrients: proteins, fats, and carbohydrates provide energy and are needed for growth and maintenance
- Micronutrients: Vitamins and minerals are needed in small amounts, but are still essential for growth and development
- Phytochemicals: bioactive compounds found in foods like fruits and vegetables have a lot of health benefits
- Water: which is used to replenish the body’s essential fluid requirements
Feel your best when you eat the correct nutrients and in the correct portions! Summer is a great time to enjoy refreshing fresh fruits and vegetables!
5 Heart-Healthy Foods to Serve the Family This Summer
Enjoy these delicious and heart-healthy foods this summer at home, or use them in a dish for your next event! You can’t beat staying healthy and eating great food!
Avocados
Avocados are a fan favorite because they taste great and are versatile. It’s one of the most nutrient-dense foods and the richest in fiber, folate, potassium, vitamin E, and magnesium compared to other fruits. It’s likely your patients are already eating it, so encourage them to keep going!
Salmon
Salmon is a great summer meal, especially when grilled! It has high unsaturated fats that benefit the heart, which gives you an adequate amount of omega-3 fatty acids which can lower the risk of sudden cardiac death, reduce blood clots from forming, and prohibit the growth of plaque along artery walls.
Watermelon
Watermelon is extremely hydrating and has a concentrated source of lycopene, which is the same heart-protective compound found in tomatoes (tomatoes are another great heart-healthy option for the summer).
Berries
Berries are high in fiber but low in sugar and calories, which makes them a great treat for the summer. Such an easy option to add to our diets and promote heart health.
Leafy Greens
Dark leafy greens are the best options when you’re choosing greens for your salad because they are nutrient-dense. Greens such as red or green leaf lettuce, romaine, kale, spinach, collards, turnip greens, and swiss chard or spinach are full of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Share These Health-Healthy Food Tips with Your Clinic Audience!
Vasolabs exists to help health practitioners promote heart health at their clinics. From functional medicine providers to chiropractors and everyone in between, our partners know how important it is to catch heart disease early. Regular cardiovascular screenings exponentially reduce negative outcomes.
Much of heart health boils down to lifestyle. So, share this article on your social media profiles! Create a Facebook post or tweet our health-healthy summer foods to your audience. Imagine the benefits you’d see if more people began eating healthy fruits, grains, and vegetables.
Let’s help more people feel their best this summer by recommending heart-healthy foods. For more heart-related advice or testing, contact Vasolabs online.