February is American Heart Month (as well as really, really cold) and to celebrate the occasion, SelectCare wanted to talk about cardiovascular disease (CVD), which remains the #1 cause of death in the United States.

While the frequency of CVD-related deaths amongst men and women 65 to 74 years old has dropped in recent years, people 64 and younger have not seen a similar decrease in over the same period of time. Since outdoor activity can be a challenge at this time of year, the SelectCare staff has decided to give our readers a few pointers around the kitchen.  

The Mayo Clinic has some excellent guidelines for building a “heart healthy” diet, focusing on limiting salty and fatty foods, controlling your portion sizes and switching to whole grains, and the U.S. News and World Report goes so far as to rank popular diets based on their heart healthiness.

While these are great starting points on your way to a healthier heart, the American Heart Association (AHA) takes the cake (hopefully a whole-grain, low-fat cake) with its incredible online recipe book. This corner of the Web is a great resource for health-conscious cooks, providing thousands of easily searchable, healthy recipes good for any meal, from a quick snack to a banquet, all complete with caloric and sodium estimates that take the guesswork out of eating healthy. Adding to the value, the AHA has provided a cost-per-serving estimate for each of its recipes, perfect for cooks working on a fixed income.

We at SelectCare take cardiovascular health seriously and are proud to offer New Yorkers with well-trained Home Health Aides who can prepare heart healthy meals year around for New Yorkers who have nutritional needs.    If you or a loved one has questions about how one of Select Care’s Home Health Aides can make a difference in your life, call us any time to speak with our staff of home health care experts and arrange a free in-home health assessment.