By Lisa Carlson, MS, RDN, LDN, NU Campus Dietitian Nutritionist
Several years ago, I attended an American Heart Association Go Red for Women event in downtown Chicago, and one of the speakers was a woman in her late twenties. She was tall and lean, with the physique of a marathon runner. She was a heart-attack survivor. The young woman told of waking up one morning and having minor pain in her chest, tingling in her arm and feeling overly fatigued. She wondered if she was having a heart attack. She said: “I did what any smart woman of my age would do, I called my sister…who happens to live 500 miles away in a different state. The good news is she’s a nurse, and I knew she would have good advice. I told her my symptoms and my sister said ‘call 911 immediately.’” She was having a heart attack. The young woman fully recovered, but her message was clear: women can have heart attacks, too (just like men) and young people can also be affected, even when they are fit. I share this story because it has stayed with me all these years. Also, February is American Heart Month, a great time to start taking better care of your health and protecting your heart.
Most college students probably think heart-health concerns are more for their parents or grandparents, as they may be the ones with rising blood pressure or expanding waistlines. In reality, heart-health issues can happen at any age, and both men and women need to “take heart” and take steps to stay healthy. The habits you establish in college are the basis for your lifestyle and exercising patterns later in life. Get a jump on things now and carve out a heart-healthy course that includes heart-healthy foods and activities.
A recent research study conducted at Colorado State University evaluated 180 college students (ages 18-25) for 434 cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk factors such as the family history of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, and others. The study found that 84% of the students evaluated had at least one CVD risk factor and 62% had two risk factors. The findings of the study may support the need for a CVD risk reduction program specifically designed for college students that might include preventive screening and health education targeted at reducing these risk factors to improve and support college students and their health and well-being. (https://theconversation.com/college-students-may-not-be-as-heart-healthy-as-they-think-91730)
According to US News and World Report for 2020, one of the top “diets” or meal patterns for your health and your heart is the DASH Diet. (https://health.usnews.com/best-diet/best-heart-healthy-diets). The name stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, the medical term for high blood pressure. And, while research shows that following the DASH Diet can lower blood pressure and decrease both the bad LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and elevate the good HDL cholesterol, it is an overall good-health plan. Research also shows that when you are mindful of lowering sodium, along with the DASH Diet you can likely get a bigger bang for the buck in lowering blood pressure. Also, maintain a healthy weight and if you are overweight or are inactive, get going.
Here are some key components of the DASH diet:
Make half your plate fruits and veggies. Pretty much any kind will do, but best to focus on a colorful variety. Cook vegetables (steam, bake, roast or stir-fry in a little oil) and enjoy them every day. Season with spices and herbs rather than salt. Also, enjoy them for snacks. Vegetables and fruit are both high in potassium, which is a counterpoint for the effects of sodium and can help manage your blood pressure.
Go for the Whole Grains. When you eat grains, make them whole grains if you can. A whole grain is a grain that contains three parts: endosperm, germ, and bran. Whole grains are good sources of dietary fiber, which can help lower blood cholesterol levels and help control blood sugar levels. The texture and nuttiness provide great flavor and maybe more satisfying. Whole grains to choose are whole grain pasta, whole-wheat bread, oats (always whole grain, from old-fashioned to steel-cut), popcorn (always a whole grain), brown or wild rice, quinoa, farro, sorghum, bulgur, buckwheat. Read the label to make sure it is whole grain or look for the Whole Grain Stamp.
Go Fish, at least two times a week. Choose fish that’s high in omega 3 fatty acids such as salmon, herring, sardines, and trout. Some people are afraid to eat fish because of the mercury content. The species that tend to be high in mercury (swordfish, tilefish, shark, and king mackerel) are ones to be avoided by pregnant women and very young children. Otherwise, eating too little fish may be more hazardous.
Ease up on sugar. Know the difference between naturally occurring and added sugars, and try to cut back where you can. Naturally occurring sugar is found in milk (lactose) or fresh fruit (fructose). Added sugar is most often found in prepared foods or sugar-sweetened beverages, desserts, cakes, cookies, ice cream. It is also “hidden” in lots of products that have a health halo such as flavored milk products and sweetened yogurts and in other products that don’t necessarily taste sweet (peanut butter, pasta sauce). Become a label reader and be mindful of cutting back on these extra sneaky sugars in your diet
Choose healthy fats in moderation: a small handful of walnuts a day or a half an avocado or a drizzle of olive oil in a salad is great. The rule is: “Choose good fats, not low fat.” Unsaturated fats (olive, canola, sunflower) are better than heavily saturated fats (butter, whole milk, lard, stick margarine).
Dial back on dairy and choose lower fat. Calcium, which is associated with milk products is good for your bones and also your heart as it helps in blood pressure regulation. However, full-fat dairy contains saturated fat that you may want to minimize in your diet. Some non-dairy calcium sources include soybeans, collard greens and other leafy vegetables calcium-fortified beverages (almond milk, OJ)
Focus on whole foods. Food packages are full of and hype with tags that say “high in omega 3s.” If you stick to whole foods as much as possible instead of overly processed ones you don’t have to be overly concerned with small print and call outs.
Choose wisely when you eat out: Don’t “eat your heart out.” Choose food that is baked, broiled, roasted, stir-fried, seamed; Watch portion sizes. If the size is too big, take food home or share with a friend; trim visible fat; ask for sauces and dressings on the side and enjoy sparingly; remember the bread bowl and butter counts, too.
Get moving: Take a hike, use your bike, walk the campus, use the gym: Enjoy being outside. Walk around campus for the love of being outside or working out with a friend. Experts recommend at least 150 minutes, or 2½ hours, of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity each week. That equals 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Working up to 300 minutes (5 hours) a week can provide even more health benefits. If you prefer more vigorous aerobic activity (like running), aim for at least 75 minutes a week.
Pump it up: It is also helpful to add strength-training activities (free weights or weight machines) that involve all major muscle groups on two or more days a week. If this sounds too much, start slowly
What are you doing to keep your heart in good shape and reduce your CVD risk factors?
Here are more recommendations: Heart Healthy Eating
Other resources: