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Connect with a Lifestyle Leasing ConsultantHealth & Wellness | April 25, 2024
Taking Advantage of the Summer Season to Improve Heart Health
As the sun shines down on us and flowers begin to bloom, the outdoors begin to beckon us to spend more time in nature. With more time outdoors comes the opportunity to participate in a variety of fun activities like gardening, pickleball, hiking, biking and more! As with any physical activity, being active outdoors requires that our heart is able to support physical endurance.
The Benefits of Outdoor Activity on Heart Health
Outdoor activities have a host of benefits, including many that are great for your heart. Outdoor activities often involve some form of cardio, from walking to tai chi, which helps to lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels. As the weather warms up, there are also additional opportunities for swimming, which is a great activity for oxygen usage and blood pressure, all while being gentle on the joints. Harvard Health Publishing notes that this makes swimming an excellent activity for those with arthritis and other chronic conditions.
Considerations For Outdoor Physical Activity
The warmer temperatures and uneven terrain the outdoors bring are important to take into consideration when exercising outdoors. As we age, our body composition changes, and we are at a greater risk of dehydration. Being dehydrated can lead to heat exhaustion, and together, these can cause tiredness and lack of coordination that leads to falls and injury. To manage these risks, be sure to opt for exercising at cooler times of the day and wear lighter clothes while exercising.
Eating a Heart Healthy Diet
Eating a heart healthy diet can help prevent conditions like hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes, all contributing factors to heart disease. In addition to ensuring that you eat a proper portion size, focus on the foods below to support your heart health so you can make the most of your time outdoors this summer.
Foods to Focus On
According to the Mayo Clinic, foods that can help support your heart health include:
- Fresh or frozen fruit & vegetables
- Low-fat proteins, such as lean meat, poultry, fish, and legumes
- Choose low-sodium items, like herbs and spices & canned soups with reduced sodium
- Choose whole-wheat grains and high fiber foods
- Healthy fats like olive oil, canola oil, vegetable and nut oils, nuts and seeds, and avocados.
The summer is the perfect opportunity to start focusing on heart-healthy foods – especially if you live in Alberta, like all of us at Trico LivingWell! July to October is Alberta’s Harvest season, so an abundance of fruits and vegetables become more readily available during this time. Incorporating these colourful foods into a dish can be the perfect way to add new and exciting flavours with a touch of artistry to your meals.
Heart Health & Nutrition at Trico LivingWell
Trico LivingWell supports healthy eating patterns by increasing access to fruits and vegetables with menu items and counter displays, limiting the availability of highly processed foods, and designing environments where the easiest choice is the healthiest choice. At Trico LivingWell, healthy eating is anything but mundane and uninspired – it’s a truly elevated dining experience, where high value nutritional food is provided and showcased with artistry. Led by Executive Chef Liana Robberecht, our culinary team partners with small, local farms to source high quality ingredients and support our community. If you’d like to see an example of the delicious and nutritious food our culinary team creates to support our residents health, click here.
Interested in learning more about retirement living at Trico LivingWell? Book a tour with us here.
No material on our website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the medical advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider when undertaking a new health regimen.
