Ask Lori About Heart Health

Dear Lori,

I am a 45-year old male.  My blood pressure is high and my cholesterol is high.  My doctor wants me to go on meds; I am resisting.  What can I eat to help me out? 

Signed,

Help My Heart Health

Hello Heart Health,

Forty-five year old male with high blood pressure and high cholesterol? Welcome to a large percentage of America!  Not to fret.  Genetics are partly responsible for your situation, but the good news is that environment is more than 70 percent responsible for it (which you are largely in control of).

The food you eat, the drinks you drink, the air you breathe, your exercise habits and stress levels are largely to blame for your situation.  So now it is time to change things!

Drink fresh, pure water every day.  Plenty of it.  Eat lots of fresh, raw plant foods—preferably organic.  Eat these every day.  Eat them in the morning.  Eat them in the afternoon.  Eat them at night.  These are the foods with vitamins, minerals, plant compounds, antioxidants, phytochemicals and other protective compounds.  These are the foods that our maker put here for us to survive on and thrive on.

Limit junk foods.  You know what they are.  Don’t eat fast food, pastries, French fries, fried foods, boxed foods, etc.  Limit animal foods.  That means meat, dairy, eggs, and cheese (which I know is dairy, but Americans eat so much of it, I thought I’d mention it individually).

Exercise.  You don’t have to overdo it, but do it.  Exercise every day.  Move your body—walk, garden, take steps, learn yoga. 

Relax and learn to cope with and manage stress.  Deep breathing exercises, meditation, yoga and so forth can help with this.  Exercise also is an effective way to manage stress.

I hope you get to it right away.  You’ll feel so much better when you get your health under control!

Best of luck and health,

Lori