Keep your heart in tip-top shape this Fall and Winter.

As the weather gets colder, the odds of having of a heart attack increases.
Why, you ask?

There are a few reasons, and they are: colder weather makes arteries tighten up
and less flexible, and then there’s the shoveling snow in freezing temperatures
and let’s not forget the food.
Yes, the constant eating that starts around Halloween and doesn’t end until
Patrick’s Day.

But wait, there’s some good news, and it is that heart disease is now one of the
most preventable (and most easily reversed) health problems out there today and
if you want to stay out of the emergency room this Fall or Winter, just follow the
simple (food) tips listed below.

a) Eat This Fruit-
The fruit: Guava! No, not your typical American fruit, but if you’re concerned about
keeping your arteries open and flexible, you must start eating guava.
Guavas are one of the richest natural source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant
that helps relax arteries and even heal damaged ones.
Look for Guava at large supermarkets or Hispanic stores or produce stores.

b) Oil Please-
Start taking after your Italian, Greek and Danish brothers and sisters and add
some top quality olive oil to your daily menus. Researchers say that 1 to 2
tablespoons each day can protect you from the pollutants in the air that can trigger
blood stickiness, causing clots that can lead to heart disease.

c) A Nutty Grain-
If oatmeal is your regular “go-to” breakfast, you may want to switch things up
and start eating barley a few days each week, Barley is loaded with beta-glucan,
a soluble fiber that soaks up fat before they can sneak into your bloodstream
and cause cholesterol levels to rise. Eat barley 2 to 4 times a week and you
can cut artery-clogging cholesterol as much as 20% in about 2 months.
Important tip: There’s no law that says that barley has to be eaten at breakfast,
serve it at night with some vegetables sauteed in olive oil.
Also find beta-glucan in mushrooms.

d) Greens Please-
Of course greens were going to make the list as they benefit your health in
a number of ways and one of the most important ways is to prevent plaque
from attaching to your arteries. Greens are rich in lutein, a nutrient that blocks
plaque buildup in your heart arteries.
Eat the greens you enjoy, be it spinach, collards, mustard greens, Arugula,
romaine lettuce, watercress or kale.

e) Have Some Onions With That-
If you’re a fan of onions continue to eat them and if you avoid them,
you may want to include them, once you find out the benefits you’ll get.
The benefits: 1/3 cup or 1/2 cup each day can cut your “bad” LDL cholesterol
level by 35% and lower blood pressure 20% and slash heart attack risk by 40%.
The sulfur compounds in onions reduce your liver’s cholesterol production
and relax arteries to keep your blood pressure steady. Another benefit:
They (onions) also help keep blood platelets slippery, reducing your risk of
getting dangerous blood clots.
Eat onions raw or lightly fried in olive oil.

f) Don’t Be Afraid-
Of meat. It often gets a bad rap, but good cuts of beef like steak, roasts and
hamburgers won’t do a thing to your arteries, blood pressure or heart.
Doctors say that good qualities of beef actually reduce the inflammation
inside artery walls.

g) Beware Of This Meat-
Cold cuts and canned, processed meats. Meats loaded with salt like salami,
spam or bacon can cause inflammation to increase in your arteries.
An occasional ham and salami sub or bacon and eggs once a week are okay,
but don’t overdo it.

h) A Recipe For Sunday Dinner-
If you’re not sure what to serve this Sunday, why not try the heart-healthy
pot roast dinner listed below. In addition to roast beef, this recipe also
includes barley and kale, both of which will benefit your heart.

The recipe: Braised Pot Roast with Barley and Kale!
Ingredients:
1 tsp. of pepper
1 beef chuck about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds
1 Tbs. of extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbs. of Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbs. + 1 Tbs. of drained prepared horseradish
1 cup of uncooked quick-cooking barley
3 cups of thinly sliced kale or baby spinach leaves
To make:
Press the pepper evenly onto all sides of the roast.
In a large pot, heat oil over medium-heat. When hot, add the roast,
cook, turning, until browned. Pour off the drippings. Add the onion,
1 cup of water, the sauce and 2 Tbs. of horseradish; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer for 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours or until
roast is tender. Transfer the roast to a platter. Over high heat, bring
pan juices to a boil; reduce heat to medium, cook, stirring occasionally
until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, 10 to 12 mins. Cook the barley according to
directions on the box, after it’s done, remove from heat and add the thinly
slice kale (or spinach to it) stir it into the barley and place the cover on top.
Stir remaining 1 tsp. of horseradish onto pan juices. Thinly slice the
roast and return to pan juices and heat through. Spoon the barley onto
the plates and top it with slices of roast beef and sauce. Enough for 6 to 8 servings.

Sources:
* Harvard Research Dept.
* Stanford University, Research Dept.
* Journal Nutrition Research
* Southern Living Magazine
* Taste of Home Magazine
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