32 THE QUEENS COURIER • WELLNESS • MARCH 16, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM wellness These foods can give your heart a better chance What’s the biggest threat to our health? It isn’t cancer or even accidents, but heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, one in four deaths in the U.S. is caused by heart disease, which includes heart attack and stroke. Th is statistic is scary, but the good news is, there is something powerful we can do to prevent us from becoming a victim to this disease. Even if you are one of the 47 percent of Americans living with a major risk factor, there are preventive measures you can take for a healthier heart, says registered dietitian nutritionist, Dawn Jackson Blatner. All you have to do is embrace some simple lifestyle changes starting with your diet. “Food is quite literally one of the best medicines out there when it comes to improving our health,” says Blatner. “Studies show us repeatedly that a balanced diet including hearthealthy unsaturated fats, along with multiple servings of fruit and vegetables can give you additional protection against heart attack and stroke.” Here are fi ve of Blatner’s go-to foods you can easily incorporate into your diet for a daily dose of 1.heart- healthy compounds. Fish: Salmon and other fatty fi sh such as sardines are chock full of omega-3 fatty acids, which lower the risk of irregular heartbeat and help decrease plaque buildup in the arteries. If fi sh isn’t already in your meal rotation, it’s time to start. Preparation and cooking time for fi sh entrees is much shorter than that of chicken, beef and pork, making it a perfect weeknight meal. 2. Greens: Leafy greens contain nitrates, healthy compounds that not only reduce the risk of heart attack, but can boost survival rates aft er a heart attack. Plus, spinach, kale and other dark green vegetables have carotenoids, which work to keep blood vessels healthy. So aim to have at least one cup of leafy greens each day, such as scrambled in your morning eggs, a green juice as a snack or a leafy 3.salad Nuts:fi with lunch or dinner. Th ey contain protein, ber and healthy fat, which work together to keep us feeling full and satisfi ed. Th ough high in fat, studies show people who consume nuts on a daily basis are leaner than those who don’t, and staying lean is, of course, heart-healthy. So go ahead and keep almonds, walnuts or pistachios on hand for snacking, and choose those that are minimally processed, avoiding candied or highly salted nuts. 4. Dark chocolate: Good news: Eating dark chocolate every day can reduce heart attack and stroke for high-risk patients. Th e magic compound here is fl avonoids, which are benefi cial for blood pressure and clotting while also reducing infl ammation. If you’re on-board with making chocolate your aft er dinner indulgence, opt for brands with 60-70 percent cocoa and that don’t contain milk fat in the ingredient list. 5. Eggs: Contrary to earlier belief, eating one egg a day has no negative eff ect on coronary health and can actually reduce the risk of stroke by 12 percent, according to a recent review of 30 years’ worth of scientifi c study cited on nutraingredients. com. But all eggs are not created equal. Eggland’s Best eggs, for example, off er the benefi t of 25 percent less saturated fat, fi ve times more Vitamin D, more than twice the omega-3s and three times more Vitamin B12 than ordinary eggs. Very Vegetable Frittata (recipe courtesy of Eggland’s Best) Ingredients • 4 Eggland’s Best Eggs (large) • 1/3 cup Eggland’s Best Liquid Egg Whites • 1 cup non-fat milk • 1 tablespoon chopped chives • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard • 1/3 cup fi nely chopped onion • 1 cup chopped mushrooms • 1 cup chopped broccoli • 1 cup chopped caulifl ower • 1 cup chopped zucchini • 1 cup halved cherry or pear tomatoes • 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese • salt and pepper, to taste • arugula, for serving (optional) Directions In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, milk and Dijon mustard; set aside. In a 10 to 12-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet, spray with cooking spray and heat to medium high. Saute onion until soft ened – about 2 minutes. Add the mushroom, broccoli, caulifl ower and zucchini to the skillet. Saute until slightly soft - ened – another 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk the egg mixture again, then pour over the vegetables. Sprinkle tomatoes and feta cheese on top. Place a lid on the skillet, reduce heat to medium and cook until the bottom and sides of the frittata are fi rm – 8 to 10 minutes. Preheat the oven broiler. Place the skillet under the broiler and broil until the frittata is cooked through (no longer jiggly) and slightly browned on top – about 5 minutes (watch closely). Cut into 4 wedges and serve immediately, over a handful of arugula, if desired. Courtesy BPT
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